Tales of Vesperia : Dark Butterfly
by chochiblue
Summary: So Yuri Lowell's "bad luck" has not ended after the event of Adephagos. follow his new adventure with Brave Vesperia and new friends to investigate the mystery behind the "Dark Butterfly" Phantoms. Finally after years...Chapter 5 up.review please
1. Prologue: Regeneration of The Last

**Prologue : Regeneration of the Last (Crimson Interlude)**

Who loudly knocked on the door? Was it him? Yes. It's Him. He wanted to give you a sign. He's riding on the wind, for his entire dream has come true. The beautiful line of the dusk in front of him was sign. That's it. He's surrounded by happiness. He had broken the law. The law that a common human cannot just play with.

Suddenly, like a crimson breeze passing by, everything turned into red.

There was flesh everywhere and he can barely can breathe in relief. There were shady armored people covered in blood. They wielded swords and spears and surrounded him right on the corner. His eyes glanced at these armored men. Will his life end at this moment?

No, he doesn't care about that anymore.

They had taken his life even before they killed him. They already taken what is most prescious to him, something much more important than his soul, body and life.

He looked around, biting his lips. Right on the dark corner, he smelled blood. They killed that person. They killed him.

"Do we have to finish him off?" a tall soldier said with a bass tone voice.

"No, don't" was the terse reply. They slowly withdrew their swords and spears.

"They said that they will interrogate him first. Besides, he might useful" Said another armored man. He seems to be the one who take the lead there.

"Oh, Boring" said the other soldier, though this one is a bit more buff. "Ah well, little goat. You're lucky that your head is not my sword's next target. Get up and follow us"

No answer.

"Hey trash, are you deaf??I said GET UP and COME WITH US. Look, we're already trying to be nice enough to a person with the likes of you" the leader seemed to get his temper up.

He scratched his knee as he made a deep, undefined breath.

"You killed him. You killed him" he murmured. He stared at them with no hint of fear. His eyes raging, holding back his emotions.

"What?" The Leader of the troop stepped back a bit, realizing that there's a tense aura coming to him. This might be dangerous.

"Ass-brains. There's no point even if you let me alive. You already killed me. Note that in your mind. Now if you want to give me a little consolation…" he took something from his pocket. It was a small grayish box with relives upon it. He showed it to them with a big, devilish, manic grin.

"..you all can die with me" he said shortly, followed by a maniacally laugh.

"Huh?! Wait a minute you—arrest him!" the leader noticed that he should anticipate the dangerous intention of that person in front him. He sensed a pretty bad hunch. All of his subordinates rose up their swords and spears and in a flash, they surrounded him and tried to lock his move. But unfortunately they weren't fast enough.

He opened the box. In no time, black dust spread in high velocity. It covered and stuffed the entire area. Soon, every person there was covered by the deadly dust die eventually in an unidentified scream of death.

Twilight crows fly above the old rough building. The sound waves of the screams reached its maximum amplitude, piercing the ear of any creature who heard it. The last scene of the dramatic event was a sleepy silence, as a lone, dark purplish butterfly rested its wing on the top of a rotting flower.


	2. Stage 1 : Dancing In the Rain

**Stage 1 : Dancing in the Rain (Follow my Rhythm)**

" I want an Apple Gel!" said the brown-raven haired boy. "And I have been craving for a Lemon gel! Oh that sweet tasty gel makes me fly every time I pop it inside my mouth" the black haired boy who used a tank top added. They had been standing in front of the Item Shop, waiting for a dark pony tail haired man to fulfill their wishes. While the other kids were playing near them. Some of them discussed about the scenery of the ecstatic Zaphias town and building. Especially, the epic big sword there.

"Alright, alright. Just don't pull on my shirt like that" the dark haired man, Yuri, said to them. He was released from the kids' grip and turned to the Item Shop seller. The kids had already taken out the gels in the amount they wanted.

"Okay so how much in total?" Yuri asked nonchalantly to the seller while he took his gald.

"That's 6000 Gald, mister" the Seller said firmly.

"Six thousands, eh? Uuuh.." Yuri counted the Galds in his hand. One, two,…four point five. Oh man, he run out of his Galds!

Yuri rummaged his pocket, trying to get more Galds he's lacking of, but he managed to pull of the bottom of the his pocket. Zero left of gald.

"Tch" Yuri face palmed as he knew the seller was gazing impatient to him. Yuri raised his shoulder and tried to make an innocent face when he gazed back to the seller. But he really doesn't have any innocent face at all.

The Seller took a deep breathe as she pulled out a pencil and paper and write down there.

"Mr. Yuri Lowell. This month debt 1500 gald" she notes. "You know, you have a 3 month list of debt, Mister. I can tolerate since you're one of our quarter family, but you know business, right?" the seller lectured him.

Yuri scratched his head and tried to make a rather regretting face, he smiled stiffly.

"Well, wait till I find a way to plant a money tree, will ya? That time I'll pay my debt hundred times from the current amount" he joked.

"Yeah, that's nice. And everyone will live happily ever after? Okay, I understand you so much, so now go ahead" The Seller sighed deeply, but she formed a tolerance face on hers. She waved to Yuri, told him that he had finished the problem there with Gald.

The kids there were still playing around. They were having fun, teasing the local Zaphian artist there who was painting the Zaphias Scenery on his canvas. The kids bombardedr him with tons of nonsense questions and suggestions. Repede was there also. That purple dog was lying on the ground, enjoying the fresh air, since he can't gain the quiet, peaceful atmosphere. The kids on lower quarter are as noisy as a cavalry.

"Mr. Painter, why don't ya color the tree in red? You know I love red" said one of Lower Quarter's little girls.

"Boo! There's no such thing as a tree with red leaves except on autumn!" a little boy mocked her.

"There's nothing wrong with drawing Zaphias in autumn even if it's summer now" The girl tried to keep her opinion.

"Oh please, get real! You're so childish"

"Say what??"

Thus, that little boy and little girl fought each other, they slap and pulled each others' collar and hair and kicked on their each feet. The lousy battle made the girl accidentally hit the Artist, and made him stroke his brush at the wrong spot. He was shocked.

"Aaaaargh! My masterpiece! Noo!" the Artist cried as he squeezed his hat. His cry made the little boy and little girl stop fighting. They blinked their eyes innocently to the Artist who glared at them with fury. He gritted his teeth.

"Don't you know that this is a masterpiece for Madame Rosaille?! She is paying a huge amount for a portrait of her with Zaphias scenery at background! It's almost finished, but look..You ruined it! Bohohohohohoh" The artist rampaged, and then he ended up crying in tears, covering his face with his hat.

Repede woke up when the tears dropped to his face. He decided to move from the artist's feet and look for another better spot to sleep.

"Hey what's up?" Yuri right on the moment was coming to the artist. In flash, the artist grabbed Yuri's collar with a pity pathetic look.

"It's your companions, Mr. Lowell! Urrgh! Look at this! I supposed to put black for madame Rosaille's cat, but thanks to your little friends over there, I stroke the color at her face! BIG mistake! Oh my money…no, the problem is my PRIDE!" the artist cried again in, this time in Yuri's collar. Yuri gave him a sympathetic smile as he patted him "Hush, Hush. Well, I think she looks even prettier with that pimple on her face" Yuri tried to give a consolation. The artist lifted his face and looked at him with annoyed face.

"Are you mocking at me, Mr. Lowell?"

"Do I sound so?" Yuri blinked his eyes, pretended to be naïve and smiled in teasing face. The artist bit his lips with anger being held deep in his heart. His face turned red. He quickly buckled up and packing all of his painting tools back on his bag and went away.

"I will paint in a better place, where there're no bugs like you!" he said as he pointed to Yuri before he went away.

Yuri chuckled as he saw the artist had already gone, but he then turned his face into a bold face when he gazed to the children. He folded his hand and talked to them with certain tone.

"Okay kids, remember when I said no making trouble here?" he said to them.

"I am not, it's her" the boy pointed to the little girl he fought before.

"What? You started it!"

"Okay, stop pointing fingers at each other! You know this is the lower quarter but you have to respect the elder" Yuri lectured them.

"He's not an elder. He's a painter"

"Don't try to change the subject" Yuri replied in hopelessness. Well, they're kids anyway. There's no use debating with them.

"Hey look! Is that one of the elder?" suddenly the raven haired boy who asked for apple gel pointed to the person behind Yuri. Yuri blinked his eyes and he slowly turned his head to his back. He saw a familiar person. A white haired man with white beard and moustache. He was wearing glasses on his face. Yuri has acknowledged him as his parent and his only family for quite some time.

"Hanks," he said as he stepped forward to that old man.

Hanks coughed a bit before he replied.

"Nice day, eh, Yuri. How are you?" he asked before he coughed again. Nowadays Hanks' condition is getting worse. It's probably because of his age. He's not getting any younger. But he is still concerned about his Lower quarter family, especially since he has treated Yuri and Flynn, the orphans, as his own. So, no wonder why he's still struggling to go out to just to say hello and asked their current condition.

"Fine, don't worry. Instead, please worry about yourself. You should stay at home Hanks, the climate isn't too good for you"

"Oh, nonsense. This is such a pleasure since I can meet you uh, I need to talk with you, my boy. May we?" Hanks told him about his intention. He looked at the children and assuming that maybe Yuri was too busy.

"Oh, Okay. Wait" Yuri raised his hands in front of his chest, a sign that Hanks should wait a bit. He walked back to where the kids are.

"Repede, take care of them for a while, will ya?" Yuri commanded his faithful companion. Repede whined slowly and yawned. He got up and stretched his body. Yuri patted that dog "Thanks". He then left them with Repede.

Yuri and Hanks walked away, near the town entrance, and sat at a bench there. Both didn't say a word, staying quiet for a while until finally Hanks started to talk.

"I never saw you caring this much about our social living, boy. You know I am happy you worked on it now" he said.

Yuri folded his palm as he answered nonchalantly with surprised feeling "I am?" he rolled his eyes to a house's window, though his mind was travelling back to where when he had his first journey.

"I guess…that Adephagos event kind of change me. Yeah, I realized that. I admit I learnt how to act mature from them. And I must credit those folks…you know, Brave Vesperia. And that's including Flynn" Yuri recalled his memories about last event. Yeah, the Adephagos was disaster, but he did gain positive things after. Even though the bad effect, that they had lost Bodhi Blastia fact has burdened them, but they worked fine with more hard work.

"Mm," Hanks nodded. He coughed once again.

"And those kids are orphans, just like me. The recent Adephagos incident had killed their parents. You know when Alexei held Estelle as hostage. I was heartbroken when I found out that some of the Zaphians didn't manage to escape safely. I am glad that you're safe Hanks. But still I can't close my eyes for the children there, I.." Yuri shut himself up before he admitted his true feelings. Gosh, he had sure been influenced by Estelle's nature to utter anything in his mind straightly. He admitted that he worried like hell back then when Zaphias was in crisis, thanks to that bastard Alexei. He doesn't know what he'd do or feel, if at that time Hanks and others were dead. Perhaps those kids' feelings are the same.

"So that's why you're taking the role as their parents substitute. Like that?"

"Er-"

Hanks laughed, he made Yuri got startled.

"Well, in that case why don't you insist on becoming a real parent?"

Yuri raised his eyebrow and he dropped sweat when he got what Hanks trying to say.

"Are you trying to persuade me to get married?"

Hanks threw him a questioning look. As if he was challenging him.

"Well, I don't see anything wrong with that. You're mature enough." Hanks said as he chuckled once.

"No way. I am too young to be called father. Besides, I want to be serious in aiming something, if not to call it obsessed, like Flynn. That way goes first" Yuri folded his hands.

"Oh, too bad. I thought you are already hooked up with that girl who tagged along you since your first departure. Oh, she was one of the reasons you left Zaphias too"

Yuri rolled his eyes. "That girl?"

He caught a shadowy image in his mind and it was suddenly become clear as he managed to image a cheerful, cute-looking, pink-haired noble female.

"Oh," Yuri mumbled. "_That_ girl"

---

"Ahchoo!!" a girl with shoulder length hair sneezed as she walked inside the Zaphias castle's library. She rubbed her nose and raised her eyebrow in wonder. She brought some thick books with her hands. There was a books about Terca Lumireis' geography, one of them is cooking book and the rest is fairy tale. She intended to do research for her literature. She wanted to write a book.

"Weird, I don't have any flu or something" She wondered. She then realized where she is.

"Oh right. Must be because the dust from the books here. Yeah, these books are old" She self-guessed and laughed cheerfully. Then she walked to a big square classy table and put the books there. One of clerk that working at the library saw that and formed a little "Ooh" with her mouth.

"Princess, are you sure you want to borrow these?" she asked softly as the princess rushed to another shelves she haven't explored before. She stopped and answered innocently. "Oh yeah. Why?"

" wondering how you can finish this in a night. And especially _how_ you _can_ bring them all" the clerk corrected her glassed before she continue her work.

"It's okay. If there's a will there's a way! I might find a way how to bring them all, but first…I need to find another book about….oh fashion!" the princess clapped her hands and quickly rushed to the shelves in her excitement.

The clerk shook her head and smiled, she deep sighed and went back to her work again, writing the list of the books and arranging them. It's amusing to have such an energetic princess like her. Somehow she's none of the common princesses.

Suddenly, there's another noble-like person entered the library. A tall, nice shaped woman with red haired freely fell down her shoulder. She wore glasses.

"Is Lady Estellise here?" she asked. The clerk who was writing stopped again.

"I think she is near the Fashion books section" she pointed to the left.

"Thank you," The red haired woman passed by the first section. She stepped to the section mentioned. As she arrived, she found a pink haired princess was so serious reading one of the books with murmur.

"Lady Estellise" she called her.

Estellise, also known as Estelle, got startled as she saw the red haired woman.

"What..Mrs. Nerissa? You have been looking for me?" Estelle asked innocently.

The woman, Nerissa, nodded. "Yes. It's time for your usual daily study, princess. I know you still want to play around but, you're getting to the age of maturity now. It's one of your duties. So, be right on time. Your mentor is waiting for you" she said to Estelle in certain.

Estelle blinked her eyes and sighed deeply. She doesn't like this. She got bored to hell with thesame routine at the imperial she was able to go outside the castle, out of her cage, and she experienced many new things. Including a worse disaster called Adephagos. That time she was afraid and hoping for the things to back to normal(and by normal she meant the Imperial Life) But once it did, she got really frustrated. She wants freedom.

With a heavy step, Estelle followed Nerissa outside the library. She said goodbye for the day of fun reading.

Fortunately, her lesson that day ended up rather quick so she had free time until night. Estelle was happy. She walked outside her room and stretched out her body. She intended to go to the library once again, but she realized that her daily life will run like this every day.

Lesson, finish, reading, practice. Lesson, finish, reading, practice.

Plus some shitty noble's meeting, conference, formal parties and etc.

No, she doesn't like that at all.

Estelle peeked out the window. She gazed to the whole scenery of noble's quarter. She can't understand why those nobles love to spent and being pampered in this quarter. There are so many interesting things out there.

She sighed once more.

Then suddenly she got an evil Idea.

There's nobody currently at the place on that moment. Perfect timing and open chance for her to jump from the window, climbed down and escape from the castles. Yes, nice Idea.

Estelle pulled out her skirt and climbed the window. She slowly opened the window's lock. She tried not to make any creak sound.

"Yosh, slow..slow…come on Estelle, you can do this. This height is nothing compared to Adephagos" she talked to herself as she got ready to jump. She collected her valor, once she heard a tender voice called to her in surprised

"Lady Estellise??"

Estelle gulped. She turned her head to her back. Guess who? A familiar blonde knight with blue eyes was watching at her with an unbelieving face.

"FLYNN??" Estelle was shocked. Her shock made her lose balance and fell to the back  
"Kyaa!"

SHAKOOM!

"Lady Estellise! Are you okay??" Flynn quickly rushed to where the princess fell. Estelle bites her lips and patted her bottom. Such a pain, plus embarrassment she got.

"Just..what are you doing..on that window?" Flynn asked as he seemed trying to hide his laughter.

Estelle got blushed. She can't tell him that she want to jump from the window, like an escaping prisoner, can she?

"No..nothing so special, I just want some fresh air"  
"Oh, was the fresh air so hard to get that you must be perched out the window like that?" Flynn teased to her. Estelle's cheeks turned red in embarassment.

"N-never mind that Flynn, please" she said to her one trusty knight. "Any business that you were here?" she asked him instead.

"Oh yes..His majesty Ioder wanted to see you. He got something to tell you at his room" Flynn uttered.

"Ioder?" Estelle raised her eyebrow. Oh well, if it was Ioder, she wasn't so irritated to be called off during her free time. Ioder is the one who takes the authority now. And he's such a sweet cousin to her. Almost like a brother. Unlike other arrogant principal, he's rather naïve, almost same with her. But he cares so much.

"Yes. Shall we?" Flynn gave salute to Estelle before he offered her to go with him. Estelle nodded and quickly followed him.

On the way, they hadn't talked so much. Only Estelle called him once "Flynn,"

"Yes, your highness?"

"Don't…tell anyone about _that_ thing you saw, okay?" Estelle said with a blushes and irritated face. Flynn can't help but to burst in laugh.

Soon, they arrived at Ioder's room. Estelle noticed that in the room, Sodia , Flynn's trusted subordinate, was there. But what really caught her eyes was this person. Someone she never saw before. A tall, long silver haired man in knight uniform, and seems like he is in ranks, like Flynn and Schwann, not a mere subordinate.

"Oh, good afternoon, Estellise" Ioder greeted her.

"Hello, Ioder" Estelle greeted him, but her eyes cannot release from that new silver haired knight. He looks elegant and glamour. And his crystal blue eyes are gorgeous. The silver haired man noticed that Estelle was gazing at him. He smiled to Estelle.

"Oh hello, your highness. You must be Lady Estellise" the silver haired knight greeted her.

Estelle nodded. "And you are.."

"I called you here because of that, Estellise" Ioder said as he offered a seat for Estelle.

"What?" Estelle gazed to Ioder, while Ioder smiled gently to her.

"Well, let's get to the point. You know from now on Flynn will be staying with me for a while. We still got work to do. And Estellise, I know you're a princess with much trouble..uh.." Ioder seemed like having hard time to express the current Estellise's condition. Flynn agreed that in mind. To know what funny scene he had saw Estelle doing…

"In other word, this man is Eter Schmetterling. A talented genius knight and he got experience for over 10 years in battle. He'll be your official bodyguard from now on. That simple, you got it?" Ioder explained as he presented Eter to her. Eter walked to Estelle and he gently bent down.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Estellise. It was a honor to be your guard" he said as he kissed Estelle's palm. Estelle became so nervous. For a knight, he's so…knighty. Even Flynn has his jolly rudeness. She wasn't sure whether she can get along with him or not. But Eter seems like a gentleman that mostly really looks like a woman-caring man.

Ioder coughed and wear his gentle smile once more.

"And so that's decided. Hope you can get along well with him, Estellise" Ioder said to her as he shook her hands.

"Umm..uuh, yeah, I do hope so" Estelle said, still in nervous. She gazed to Sodia. That girl seems to be relieved. Perhaps because from this day on, Flynn will be by Ioder's side. Not hers.

Suddenly the old cockatoo clock rang. It's 3 PM now.

"Oh, time for tea, I guess, right? Estellise, you may leave now" Ioder said as he gave salute to Estelle. Estelle gave him a salute back, before she reached the door, wanting to leave. Suddenly Eter halt her. Estelle was confused why the heck Eter stopped her to leave. Eter smiled to her and he opened the door for her as he bent to permit her highness passed through first.

"Oooh….thanks" Estelle grinned. He's so gentle. He remembered Flynn back then. He can't really get rid of his Lower Quarter's habit. He ever kick the door open. But that's proving that Flynn is actually Yuri's best friend, because despite of major difference in personality, they are same as hell.

Once Estelle left, Eter permit himself to go.

"Well, your highness Ioder, I shall take my leave. And to Commandant Flynn, I hope we can work together well" Eter said before he left.

"Uh yeah" Flynn answered short. In fact, deep in his heart he saw something was hidden on that silver haired knight's eyes. But maybe it was just his feeling.

"Come on Sodia, we got work to do" Flynn tried to not mind that Eter person, but instead getting himself to be busy.

--

The sun is almost down. Yuri really loves the twilight at Zaphias. The warm sepia is the only thing that made him feel so relax. That's also the reason why he loves to spent night at Danghrest. Those place had the most spectacular twilight scenery view.

Come to think of it, wasn't Brave Vesperia Guild was being listed there? But to think that the members, Karol was in Halure for a reason he never tells. That kid loves to make people curious, but sadly no one even cared to ask. Rita is going back to Aspio once it settled down by Duke. She tried to invent technology to replace Bodhi Blastia. But she doesn't count because Rita never admitted that she joined the Brave Vesperia at all. Judith and Ba'ul go on their own adventure around the world, and Himself, along with Estelle are back in Zaphias, doing their usual routine like before. So if there really a guild building for Brave Vesperia there…It must be rotten now.

When Yuri closed his eyes and tried to enjoy the twilight atmosphere, he suddenly got startled by Hanks' heavy cough. He sounds like he choked.

"Hanks, Hanks! Are you…oh gosh, Hanks!" Yuri widened his eyes as he saw Hanks' hand, which covered his mouth when he coughed, had blood on it. He coughed blood.

"Oh damn, not again.." Hanks murmured with annoyed feelings.

"Hanks, this is not good. You better go home and rest. Wait, I'll accompany you" Yuri said harshly to him. He helped Hanks to get up and helped him to walk with his shoulders.

"Sorry to burden you" Hanks said weakly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Yuri said to him as if he was speaking nonsense.

The kids there realized that there was something wrong with the old man. They saw Yuri helping him to walk. They stopped playing and came into Yuri.

"Yuri! What happened with that grandpa?" asked the raven haired boy.

"Oh my, is he sick?" a pigtailed girl asked in worried

Yuri grinned to them. "Yeah kids, old grandpa is sick, I must take him home. You know it's already late, so you better go back to your dorm, okay? See ya tomorrow!" Yuri said to them.

The kids wave goodbye as they cheer on him.

"Yuri, be careful!" one of the boy shouted to him as he walked by. Yuri just showed his thumb to them to show that he and Hanks are gonna be alright. Repede bark to the kids before that dog also took his leave, following his master.

As they reached Hanks' house, Ted opened the door and gasped when he saw Hanks was upon Yuri's shoulder. He looks so weak.

"Uncle Hanks! Oh god, I told him to just rest at home!" Ted, the little kid that half matured quickly helped him to get to rest on his bed once he got home. He prepared a pillow and blanket for him. he looked panic, but he done the job so well.

"He is not so well nowadays, huh?" Yuri asked as he took a seat on the chair near Hanks's bed.

"Yeah, but he is stubborn" Ted answered as his hands were busy looking for medicine on the cupboard.

"I see" Yuri replied. He set a relax position near the window while Repede sat under his feet.

"Err, Yuri, I need help here" Ted said from the storage

"What's the matter, Ted?" Yuri replied, but he wasn't stood up from his seat yet.

" I can't find the ingredient and this boxes are heavy and I… Whoaaa!" there's a big crashing sound followed by the sound of boxes falling to the ground. Seems like Ted's really in trouble.

Yuri sighed and raised his shoulder. He finally stood up and decided to help Ted.

Once he arrived, he admitted that the storage was a total mess. Ted was buried under a pile of boxes. Seeing Ted like that reminded Yuri of Karol. They're about at the same age. The diference is Ted never pulled out a mock wisdom.

Yuri buckled down and lifted some boxes to free Ted. Ted sighed in relief. "Ah way better, Yuri, thanks" he patted his own head.

"T'was nothing" Yuri replied as he clapped his hands to remove the dust.

Yuri then noticed that upon the stuffs there, there's one photo in a frame. He was curious so he took the photo looked at it. There's three men with one beautiful dark haired girl on the photo they are smiling. The younger man hugged the woman's shoulder, like they are a couple. The older man to the left got a big grin on his face. Seems like it's Hanks when he was young.

But Yuri doesn't have any Idea of who the other two were, one rather blonde man who hugged the girl and other grayish haired man.

"Ted, you know who are they?" Yuri nonchalantly asked Ted. Ted was still busy looking for medicine.

"Uhuh, no I don't know" he replied. Yuri was amused that Ted even _haven't _seen what Yuri wanna show him. But well, that's because the medicine is priority.

"Oh gosh" Ted said finally.

"What? You can't find it?" Yuri asked.

"No, I found it"

"So?"

"It needs filifolia wings to make the ingredient reacted to be a medicine, too bad I got no stock" Ted said

"Well, if you got the gald I can buy it for you. Local store here must have it. Nothing personal. Just that I run out for gald for Gels today" Yuri offered.

"You will? Please Yuri, Here, take my pouch" Ted gave away his pouch.

"Great. Now, I'll be back soon" Yuri said as he quickly moved outside and go out from the house to near local store who sell filifolia wings.

But so unfortunate for Yuri, the local store had run out the stock too.

"What? So you don't have any? But we need them" Yuri said as if he protested. The seller, this time is a male seems don't care. He just gave Yuri suggestion to look on other place. "I believe Deidon hold still got the stock, sir. Or you can hunt for them by yourself" he said coldly.

Yuri was pissed. But he accepted of the Idea to hunt for filifolia by himself. He quickly left the pitiful store (in his opinion).

He realized that the sky is gloomy and cloudy. It seems tonight rain will fall. Or even faster. It seems it will _soon_ be raining.

And he was right. When he just reached the Zaphias entrance gate, the little splash of water dripped on his nose.

"Argh, it's gonna rain" Yuri said annoyed. He lay his sword right on his left shoulder and dashed to outside field, before he got drenched in rain.

The filifolia was also hard to find. For long time of hunting, Yuri only found wiggle and axe beak for goodness sake. He felt really stressed by this. They sky is getting darker and the sound of thunder growl can be heard.

"Man… Axe beaks, just one day if we ever need BBQ party and they're not available here.." Yuri murmured to himself and for the rest in peace beaks.

Intending to go further, he finally got to Quoi Woods. Yuri found one Filifolia. But right on that moment also, the rain started to drench him. In the middle of heavy rain, he got drenched until he was soaked to the bone. Yuri fought with the silly-folia, and doesn't break a sweat. Though, it's only that Yuri had wanted to avoid the rain, but he got drenched and all. Sucks.

But he got the wings in his hand.

"Finally" Yuri said "Ain't this looks cool? I fought in the rain! There wasn't such a cool scene ever. If only I got a more worthy opponent" he sighed. He raised his shoulder like usual, and then, he turned to go back to Zaphias, to give the filifolia wings to Hanks.

When, he suddenly felt something intense behind him.

What was that? Yuri wondered in his mind. The long haired man gazed to the entire forest area. It was foggy because of the heavy rain. And right on the corner of bunches of trees; he saw something caught within his eyes.

And he doubted that was a normal existence, he assumed.

Yuri sharpened his eyes to see what that is.

There, he saw him.

He saw someone. A child. About the same age as Karol. But Yuri can't identify whether that someone is a female or male.

He moved forward, one step closer to make sure. Now he can see the eyes of the child. It's red and bold, gazing tat him. Yuri had forgotten that he was drenched in rain. He's too curious.

He choked when finally he got the vision clear.

That child…was wearing all black clothing, with the butterfly relives upon. But that's not the fact that made him looks so terrified. He got familiar with the child's looks. No, even he _knew_ that child's appearance. That long hair, that look of eyes. It's like he was seeing himself when he was young!

But what the hell is going on??

The long haired child, which resembles the young Yuri in appearance, glanced to him with the red eyes of his. Or rather, perhaps, her. Yuri can't even blink for a moment. He was confused whether he must terrified or be afraid now. This is crazy.

The child formed a smile to him. A mysterious smile. And what Yuri had noticed, the child was surrounded by many black butterflies, dark-purplish, or another, rather crimson. Whatever. The child still smiling to him, before suddenly there are so many butterflies—black butterflies appeared, making a fuzz that covered the child from Yuri's sight.

Yuri dashed to where the child stood up, but as the butterflies had flown away incognito, the child also gone.

Yuri gasped as he held his sword.

What was that? Ghost?

No, Ghost is the spirit of dead person. He's not dead.

"What could that be?" Yuri murmured in the middle of heavy rain. He was alone on that forest so no one can answer him. Or was he not alone?

--

_They appeared in gorgeousness_

_They live like art_

_They appeared when it was gloomy_

_They dance on the rain_

_They dance on the rain_


	3. Stage 2 : A Bug's Life

**Stage 2 : A bug's life (stepping further from your cocoon)**

Have you heard of the Great Tree of Halure? It is one of Terca Lumireis' famous wonders. The tree is enormous, and it blooms beautifully up there, on the top of Halure's hill. The tree would also act as a natural barrier for the town. During spring, Halure people hold a festival under the tree, parties, family picnics and a lot more. Halure is the coziest and the most peaceful town in all of Terca Lumireis. The fresh air and peaceful atmosphere will make surely calm your nerves. So, are you in need of a vacation? Visit Halure and you won't regret it!

"Yea! And that's it!" yelled a brown haired boy, who carried a huge sacred bag. Karol smiled in satisfaction as he laid his pen down. He managed to write an essay about Halure, in an attempt to make people to visit it. Yeah, it's his favourite town alright.

"Baggy brother, what is that?" a child that usually plays near the said tree asked. Karol looked up to see the kid. He showed his essay with proud face as he rubbed his nose.

"Ain't it obvious? I'm doing this for the Mayor's plan and purpose" he explained. The kid read the essay and only commented with a simple "Oh,"

"I should write the history of the tree too, but today I'm scheduled to take shots of Halure's great scenery. Look, I even bought a camera! Miss Kauffman's guild has been nice to give me a special discount. Now this is gonna be perfect!" Karol said in high spirits. The children only watched without any comment, as Karol walked to the great tree and started to climb it.

"Baggy brother, isn't that dangerous? You can take a picture of Halure from here. You don't have to climb all they way up there" said a little girl innocently.

Panting, Karol still answered it confidently. "No no, *huff*, have you ever heard of the term `picture perfect` before? We have to take the pic from a great perspective to express the town in a single shot. And with this height, *huff*, I can have that perfect picture" he said in mock wisdom, as usual.

Karol reached the nearest branch and decided to take photo from there. He set his camera and peeked into its lens. As he expected, the scenery of Halure is incomparable to what he can get if he took photo from the ground. However he still wasn't satisfied. He kept moving forward and forward.

"Oh, no…this is not a nice view either" he shook his head and moved again, until he was near the edge of the branch. Due to his weight and his bag's weight, the branch made a dreadful creaking sound and then broke.

"Oh, oh, I think he's in trouble" a boy said as he rubbed his chin. Karol himself doesn't realize his condition. He was too focused to his camera. Just when Karol said "Eureka! This _is_ the best angle ever!",  
the branch gave in and Karol fell freely to the ground, landing hard with a big crash.

"Eyaaah!" Karol growled as he felt some pain upon his body. The children near him laughed at him. Some of the girls helped him to get up and asked about his condition. "Baggy brother, are you okay?"

"Haha! Hero wanna be, fell from the tree! Haha! This is the best event I ever saw!" mock a baldy boy. Karol felt pissed, but he answered to the girls who were concerned. "Yeah, I am okay, though my butt hurts. Uuh.." Karol wasn't really worried about his body. He can handle one or three broken bones, What he was worried he was worried about was his camera. He worked part time at Danghrest' tavern for 3 months to get the gald for the camera.

Karol lifted the Camera, patted it and cheked it whether there's something wrong with it. Sighing in relief, he was glad that everything is okay. The Camera's resistance was so great; it still okay even after it fell from that height.

Just when he was about to get up, suddenly he heard a familiar female voice.

"Silly twerp, just what trouble are you causing? Again?"

Karol turned his head. He caught an appearance of a light brown, short haired girl, wearing an Aspio's mage robe. Her robe is way more fancy, though. She looks like wearing a jacket. It was Rita Mordio. She folded her hand as she watched for Karol.

"Rita? What are you doing here?" Karol got up.

"Oh, I simply want to take some examples of the barrier tree for my current bodhi blastia experiment" Rita said as she threw a test tube up and down. She showed the bottle to Karol. Karol blinked his eyes for a moment, before she placed the small bottle back to her robe's pocket.

"_What _are you _doing_ here?" Rita asked back as she felt that every Karol's doing was nonsense.

Karol grinned. That was the question he hoped for. And in his usual obsessed mode, Karol pulled out his essay and proposal to Rita.

"Actually it's my big secret and I won't tell anyone. Not even Yuri or Brave Vesperia, but you're a special case. Ssshhhh….I'll tell you but keep it as secret, okay??" Karol said in his usual attitude. Rita sighed.

"Yeah, okay, go ahead, tell." she said , clearly uninterested. Even with Karol's attempt to get her to be curious.

"Taraa~! The Mayor has planned Halure to be an official tourism resort! And that's why I am here to help him by doing upgrades to the town. I also helped him make an advertisement! See! This is my idea for the brochure and pamphlet! Isn't this interesting?? Soon Halure will get veeerry famous! And we plan to share the profit for the poor children and orphans here!" Karol tumbled out. Rita just nodded her head once, twice, but she wasn't really showing the same amount of enthusiasm Karol does.

"Actually I even bought this camera so I can capture Halure's great scenery and views, for advertising purposes. But I kind of failed today…I should try to climb the tree again, but my butt hurts. So, let's go to Mayor's house instead!" Karol said as he pulled Rita's hand. Rita was surprised. Who said that she was willing to help him?

"Hey, wait, but I-!" Rita was about to protest, but Karol pulled her strongly to the mayor's house. She doesn't have any choice but to follow him, although this is not what's scheduled in her agenda today.

Soon, both of them arrived at Mayor's place. The mayor's wife was very pleased to see Karol. That boy seems to be working very hard today.

"Oh, Karol dear, thanks for your help. You have been helping us very much. You must be tired, would you want some tea?" she said. "Oh, and you brought a friend along?" the nice madam gazed to Rita and smiled to her gently. Rita smiled back to her, but she formed a very stiff smile.

"Yeah! And I bet she's going to help too!" Karol answered, still in his spirit.

Rita blinked her eyes as she lowered her eyebrow when she turned her head to Karol. Helping? He didn't even ask! Grrrr...that Karol and that big mouth of his!

"Ooh..Very nice of you. Here, please have a seat" the madam offered them a seat, while she walked to the kitchen to prepare some tea.

Karol sat happily, while Rita cannot help but to express her objection to him.

"Karol, watch your mouth! I never said anything about willing to help!" Rita protested.

"Huh? But..but I thought you will! So you're actually not willing to?" Karol was surprised.

Rita gritted her teeth and she was about to choke Karol with her hands, but the Mayor's wife has already come with a teapot and some cups.

"Here, have some. After that, may I ask for help again?" the nice madam said to them. Karol was totally okay with giving a hand, but he winced at Rita. He misunderstood that she was willing to help. Karol slowly and nervously gazed at her. Rita wore her irritated face, but she huffed instead and say "Tch. I have no choice. but, mind that it's just for today" she said as she drank her tea. Karol smiled widely, happy to hear that.

And so, after having some tea, both of them were on the briefing. It was the mayor who briefed them. Rita herself doesn't understand anymore why she was holding a spade... while Karol listened to the mayor carefully.

"So, I need your help to plant some of these flower's seeds, under the great Halure tree. You know, for my resort plan, we need to decorate the town. I hope you got all that."

"Yes sire!" Karol gave a salute while Rita just sighed in hopelessness as she watched Karol take the seeds and walk towards the hill. Karol waved to Rita. "Come on Rita! This will be finished in no time!" he tried to consulate her. Rita slowly walked behind and followed him.

And thus both of them were working under the great tree. Holding a spade and giving a random growl, Rita tried to finish her job.

"Muddy soil! Urgh, yuck! I never plan to go out just to get dirty today!"

While Karol worked happily while whistling. He can't help but repeat and repeat the same sentence and story about the Halure Tourism resort plan. That's just how obsessed he is.

"Can you imagine?? Halure! That small town! Will be officially heard around the world as a famous wonderful resort! Heck yeah!"

Rita was getting sick to hear that over and over. She dug up some muddy soil and swung her spade to Karol. Thus hitting his face and slowly covering it with mud.

"Heey! What's that for?!" Karol yelled. He took his handkerchief from his bag and wiped his face.

"I can't concentrate if you keep talking like that" Rita replied short and bold as she continued her work. Karol exhaled deeply and finally ressumed his work.... with his mouth locked.

When they were in the middle of work, Rita suddenly felt something under the ground that she was digging. It was hard. She gave it a knock and it gave an echo. There must be an empty space somehow underground. Rita threw her spade away and stood up. Karol noticed this and wondered..

"Uh what now? I have been keeping my mouth shut." he said as he expect Rita to go home because she was irritated.

"Not that. I found something interesting" Rita said as she grinned. She concentrated. Later, she formed a glow, and she casted a spell upon the suspected area.

"Oh sharpen thy rage and run them through! Stalagmite!"

SHAVOOM!

Karol was blown away by the force of her powerful magic . Rita swayed a bit and tried to regain balance after casting the spell. Without a bodhi blastia, doing a simple spell like that was already very exhausting. She felt satisfied though. When the dustclouds from her spell had settled, she saw what she already expected. An underground shelter—or something looks like that. It's an entrance. Karol rubbed his forehead and rushed next to Rita. He felt terrified to see the object Rita found.

"Whoaa! What was that?" Karol said.

"That's what I want to find out" Rita murmured as she folded her hands. For a peaceful town like Halure, she never expected for something like this to exist... until now. Was it a bunker?

"Okay, I know. Let's go in and investigate!" Karol suggested.

Rita gazed to him with unbelieving face. "Are you sure? It might be dangerous. I am not currently in right state of fighting"

"Don't worry! I'll fight and protect you!" Karol assured her. He showed her his big weapon.

"Don't you get it_? That's_ what I'm worried about" Rita said sarcastically.

Nevertheless, both of them entered the secret underground bunker. It was dark and creepy. Plus, there was a certain stench that was piercing their nose. Karol took a flashlight from his bag and used it to reveal the current location from the darkness within. The place looks like a maze.

"What is this place? Do you think it's a sewer?" Rita said her hypothesis.

"We won't know unless we go further" Karol answered as he moved on. Rita nodded and followed him explore the area. She stayed sharp. They still don't know what kinds of danger await them. Once they moved a bit further, they reached an intersection. And they stopped because they don't know which way they should take.

"We better go back" Rita suggested. She is not prepared well for an underground exploration. If they get lost in that maze, they may not find their way back and they would die eventually, or rather, be eaten by an underground monster. And that's scary.

"No way! It's so close! Follow my instinct! We go to the left!" Karol said, disagreeing with Rita.

"Hey. We might get stuck here if we just advance without being cautious" Rita protested.

"I'll memorize the way! And if we marked each intersection with this, my charcoal, we can go back safely..That's for….sewer" Karol didn't listen to her at all and keep moving. Rita sighed and she decided to follow him because she'll feel horrible if she left Karol to rot and die here.

After about 15 minutes of walking, and turning in each intersection, following Karol's intuition, they found a door. A bronze door. It looks very old and creepy. But since they're there already, might as well find out what's inside.

"Is it safe to go in? I wonder" Rita felt something shiver down her spine. Oh my, she hates this. She had forgotten that old places or ruins might contain ghosts. And she, even she's doesn't want to admit it, hates the hell out of ghosts or something mystic and undefined like that.

"D-don't worry, I-I think it's safe" Karol gulped.

Rita wasn't sure because Karol was trembling when he said that. Though the boy dared to open the door. With a small creaking sound, slowly but surely, the door opened. Both of them gulped, Rita already imagined something like a white dressed long haired ghost, with bloody face to appear. Karol imagined that they might have been eaten by a monster in mere seconds. A glimmer monster.

SKHAAAASRH!

They were surprised of what appeared after they opened the door. They saw something with no form, black and large, rush through them. Rita though it was a black spirit, like she read on ancient folk stories, but when they look closer, they're actually….butterflies. Dark butterflies.

Rita blinked . Instead of being scared, she was amazed by the amount of the dark butterflies that flew near them. So was Karol. They had no Idea where the butterflies are coming from. Hell, this isn't even the right habitat for butterflies to live. What are they doing there?

Rita gulped. Her intuition now telling her to go back.

"Karol, I'm leaving" Rita said.

"Wait, Rita. I still want to explore further.."

"Go ahead after you accompany me to go back. Go by yourself okay? I want to go OUT. NOW. Unless you want me to shoot you a fireball" Rita glanced to him. So Karol has no choice but to accompany her to go outside.

Then again, Karol's charcoal mark had been erased.

So they had no idea where they came from. They got lost.

Great.

"Err.." Karol scratched his head. "Rita..I'm so sorry, but..I think I forgot our way back out"

Rita blinked her eyes and gritted her teeth in anger.

"Karol," she said in bold tone. "I wonder how many times I should tell you that _I hate_ you?"

--

Butterflies, Butterflies. They're everywhere. With their unique monochrome relives on their wings.

When Yuri realized it, he noticed that he was in a large place, a large field with pastel green grass. He was alone. He only found out that so many butterflies flew above him. They're so pretty with their colors. Yuri can't see further where the large field ended, for it was already covered by mists. He felt like being suppressed by something. He coud barely hear someone's voice calling to him.

"Don't go..don't go.."

He heard the words clearly. Suddenly he felt like dread was covering him. He quickly turned his body and ran away. He doesn't know where he's going. He just ran. But the voice still followed him.

"Don't go,..don't go.."

He panted heavily and kept running. He stopped when he realized that the green grass field suddenly turned out black. Like he was in an empty black space. Behind him, he sensed soft, creepy black hands grapple him. It took hold of his legs, hands, body. And its finger brushed through his face as he heard the whisper clearly.

"Please..come with me"

He screamed.

"Yuri, Yuri!"

He suddenly heard that whisper has changed into a kid's voice. He was startled once he opened his eyes. He blinked his and realized that he was sitting on a chair; he was at Hanks' place.

He panted heavily as cold sweat dropped from his head. His facial expression clearly showed fear. Repede whined and licked on his face. And soon, he calmed down after he realized that it was just a nightmare. He must have fallen asleep.

"Yuri, I am glad you're okay. I saw that you were restless in your sleep, and you moaned and screamed like you were in trouble. Did you have a nightmare?" Ted said as he rubbed Yuri's forhead with a towel. Yuri twitched to Hanks, that old man was asleep after after drinking his medicine. And he saw the clock showed that it was already 1 AM morning.

"Yeah," Yuri replied as he sat back and relaxed. "Kinda"

"That's weird" Ted replied as he put back his towel. " As far as I know, only people with something big their minds, or those who are in despair will have a nightmare" he continued.

Repede barked in agreement.

"Do you have something in your mind, Yuri? You might want to share it so you can sleep peacefully" Ted sat beside him.  
"Well, it's not that I really mind it.." Yuri began to tell him about his story when he was hunting for filifolia wings. Ted listened to him with an amazed face.

"Hmm.." Ted lifted down his head, as he was thinking. "I don't think that was a a ghost, Yuri. It was raining and foggy, right? Then I assumed you saw a broken phenomenon" Ted said.

"What's that?"

"Something like mirage that appears when it's foggy. The light spectrum and the mist will react and form something. Many people who are unaware of their condition might have seen it as something. It's also related to their psychology. If they think it's a ghost, they will see it as a ghost. I think Timmy; my neighbor, saw a big mutant cat when he was on the foggy forest while it was raining. It was actually a shadow of a normal cat" Ted explained the physics theory he have read.

"Oh," Yuri huffed. "And perhaps I also suffered the same thing like Timmy?"

Ted nodded. "You have been with those children for all day, and that may have caused the appearance of what you saw to be a child. Even if it was in your form. Though, that's just my speculation"

"I think it's logical. I have been thinking about my past back then before" Yuri agreed with Ted. "Thanks Ted, now I feel relieved"

"You're welcome" Ted replied. He watched as Yuri stood up and walked off to the front door. "You want to go home now?" Ted asked.

"Yeah, I think Hanks will be okay after he takes some rest. I need to rest myself at home, so see ya" Yuri said as he opened the front door, letting Repede walk out first, before he stepped outside. "Nite, Ted"

"See you tomorrow, Yuri" Ted waved goodbye. That kid inhaled deeply before he walked to his closet to take his blanket and prepare for bed.

Yuri walked down the street, passing the fountain. The lower quarter was so quiet. He bet that everyone was already sleeping. He actually felt challenged to go on an adventure during this silent night, but his body protested in fatigue. He must go home and sleep. Too bad.

Repede followed him, also in silence. That dog has been sleep for all day, so he was not sleepy at all. He felt like he'd better guard his master, in case that he got nightmare again. That's what Repede have been thinking.

When they reached Yuri's home, Yuri commanded Repede to go upstairs to his bedroom first. He noticed that his boots were muddy, because he was on the field when it was raining. He decided to wash it first at the canal near his home. Repede understood. That blue dog rushed to the upstairs first.

In ten minutes or less, Yuri had done cleaning his boots. Bare footed, he stepped upstairs, to his room. Damn how he missed his bed and wanted to kiss his pillow. He opened his room's door. No actually, like usual, he kicked it open. As he walked to his bed, he heard a welcome

"Nite Yuri, have a nice sleep, eh?"

"Yeah, I will have a good.." Yuri answered nonchalantly. He then raised his eyebrow when he realized something wrong with the event happened just now. _Who_ greeted him??

Yuri twitched to the corner. There was Repede, lying down. Yuri has been in his imagination that perhaps Repede can talk and greeted him. He then came to that dog and asked. "Er, Repede, was it you?"

Repede whined as he tilted his head and whipped his tail.

"No? then.." before Yuri can even turned up his head, suddenly he got his eyes covered by someone's hands from behind.

"Boo! Guess who??" said the voice.

Yuri got really caught with this surprise. He noticed that voice was that of a girl's. A carefree toned voice. Someone he knew that wanted to play tricks on him. And that he felt something on his back.... something Estelle would describe as"bouncy". That's a giveaway. It was Judy.

"Oh, no, Judy!" Yuri released her hands from his eyes and turned back to see that Krityan girl. Judith giggled as her identity has been revealed.

"Oh gee, I thought the guessing game will be somehow more interesting. You guessed it too fast" she said in her teasing voice.

Yuri face palmed. "It's not the issue. What the heck are you doing here, plus, at my room?"

Judith giggled. She moved toward him and brushed her finger to his chin

"Oh, mr. young handsome man, it's been long time since we haven't meet each other, so why are you that cold?" She said in a very seductive tone.

Because he was tired, Yuri can barely reply to her, let alone play along with that seducing game.

"Well, Judy, I'm very tired tonight, so can you forgive me and just tell it straight?" Yuri exhaled as he sat down on his bed.

Judith chuckled. It was rather amusing to see Yuri like this, in his vulnerable state. He was just like a little kid.

"Well actually, Ba'ul and I had travelled far away. We reached this foreign land and we accidentaly entered without permission. Soon, the ruler of the land bombarded us with cannons, and the ship got wrecked. It was only able to resist the air force for a while. So, I landed near here in Zaphias. I cannot continue my journey unless the ship is repaired" Judith told her story.

"Well, that doesn't explain why you were here?"

"Oh, I was about to ask you to help repair my ship. You're a hard worker, right, Mr. Lowell?" Judith uttered her purpose fluently, without even feeling like she was burdening someone.

Yuri scratched his head. "No kidding…that ship is…_big_" he replied.

Judith nodded "Yeah, so I can't repair it. Someone with extra energy and horse power like you might able to do it. Or if you feel burdened, you can lend me some gald and I will ask for somebody else to help me repair it. Sadly, I am penniless at the moment" Judith confessed honestly.

Yuri chuckled as he heard that. "Well, and you thought I swim in a money lake? I am as poor as you" Yuri said as he untied his hair.

"Well, if that's the case, I might have to stay here at your place for looong time. Until somehow I find a way to fix it" Judith took it so easily.

Yuri widened his eyes. "Judy, that's crazy. I mean, although it's okay for me, what _people _might think we are?"

"Newlyweds?" Judith giggled as she doesn't seem to really care about that, or be worried either. Yuri nodded and folded his hands.

"That's it. It's not _funny,_ Judy. At least not for me. Okay, I'll repair your ship, but tomorrow morning, okay? There's no way I can work this late night" Yuri finally decided.

Judith was totally okay with that. She nodded as a sign that she agrees. "Okay then. So, would you at least be nice and lend me a pillow so I can sleep at the corner with Repede?" Judith winked to him. "Of course, if you're not willing to, you can just share bed and I.."

Before Judith continued, Yuri had threw a pillow to her.

Judith formed a big smile as she saw Yuri pulled his blanked, turned his sleeping position against Judith, and sleep without a pillow. "Thank you, Mr. Innocent"

--

Back to the last scene when Rita and Karol were stuck, those folks had finally found their way out the bunker. Covered in dust and totally messed up, they climbed out and felt so happy to kiss the fresh air outside. It was already late night though.

"Oh Miracle! We're finally made it" Karol said full in relief, while Rita hadn't said something. The girl looks so exhausted. Mentally and physically. She got hard time dealing of her dread while she was back there. She seems to hold anger upon her heart.

"That was rather challenging, right Rita? Tomorrow, after we get well-prepared, we can go and explore for real!" Karol said to her.

"Ha! Like hell I'd want to go back to that damn bunker! NO WAY. Sorry kiddo, go ahead, but you're on your own! You know, thanks to you, my experiment got delayed!Now I'm gonna use up all of tommorow for that experiment! and yes, I don't want to come here again or see you AND the bunker! Hmph!" Rita bursted out in anger that she didn't know she was holding in. She then stood up, turned her body against Karol and went away, back to Aspio.

Karol blinked his eyes. It's not the first time he saw Rita in temper like that, but he felt like he was responsible for this one.

Whatever, Karol planned to go back to investigate the bunker, and that mysterious butterflies room tomorrow.

That's for sure.

--

The Noble quarter was still alive even it it was late night. The nobles, including the Royal family were having a formal garden party. The imperial knights were there too, to make sure the situation is safe and in anticipation of an assassin, or other dangerous the knights is Flynn. He was there since the party started until now. He was actually not feeling well today, he got a bad fever, but he was so dedicated to his job that he forced himself to go. He recalled the events last evening.

He was in his room, when a servant knocked on his door.

"Mr. Scifo, I brought an announcement"

Flynn, who was lying on his bed, due to his fever, stood up and opened the door.

"What's it?" was the terse reply from him. He scratched his blonde hair and tried to balance himself. He felt so dizzy.

"The whole royal family will attend a formal garden party tommorow night, starting from 9 PM until dawn. All of the imperial knights are expected to attend. And that's all I have to inform you"

Flynn rolled his eyes. "So, his highness Ioder will attend too?"

"Oh yeah, of course. I said the whole royal family. Now, if I may permit myself to leave..." the servant bent down before he went away.

Flynn stood still in front of his room. Deciding whether he should go or not. Well, if he got his fever that bad, he can permit himself not to attend and leave the rest to his trusty right hand, Sodia. Then again, he felt that it's disrespectful for him not to attend since he is the commandant.

"Flynn! Are you coming too?"

Suddenly, breaking his chain of thought, he heard a cheerful voice. It was Estelle. He noticed that Estelle was not alone. She was with her recent bodyguard, Eter.

"Oh, um.." Flynn was a bit nervous to talk to her since he was wearing his pajama, not his knight uniform.

" I am not sure yet, you know I got bad fever today, and… well, if my fever got better tonight I might come, but if it's not, I think I'll pass" Flynn explained his condition.

Estelle gasped. She quickly moved toward Flynn and touched his fore head with her hand. "Oh yeah, you got a really high temperature. Too bad, I hope you will get better soon.." Estelle said in a sympathetic voice.  
"Well, commandant, you shan't force yourself. You know me and the other knights, we are sure to be okay to handle situation" Eter said in somehow a certain tone to Flynn.

But Flynn caught the truth behind his words. _So are you saying that everything gonna be okay even without me being there? Are you saying that it wouldn't make a difference whether I was available or not?_ Flynn got real pissed, but he wore his smile to Eter. Seems really a fake one.

"Oh, so how about his highness Ioder? Is there enough guardians for him?" Flynn tried to sound like he was cheerful.

Eter replied with somehow rather weird smile. "Oh sure, I can handle both Lady Estellise and his highness Ioder, to guard both of them would not really break a sweat" Eter said to him with a rather sarcastic tone.

Deep inside, Flynn felt like he wanted to chop him alive, but instead, he smiled again to him as he folded his hands and said "Woow. What a talented new knight we have, great! Hahahahaha!"  
"Sure, hahahahaha!" Eter replied with laughter also.

While Estelle gazed at them with confused face. There was nothing funny to laugh about, actually.

"Okay then, hope you get better, commandant. I still suggest you to take a rest instead of attending the party"

"See ya later Flynn!" Estelle waved to him. And then, she and Eter left his room. Flynn smiled widely and waved to them also. And when they're gone from sight, Flynn finally revealed his anger face.

"JUST WHO THE HELL DOES HE THINK I AM??!" he raged as he kicked the wall hardly, making it shake, causing a loud crashing sound. Flynn blamed the closed door when he entered his room.

"That's it! I am _going _to attend!" he swore surely as he took pills from his cupboard and swallowed all of those vitamins and medicine.

Sodia, who was so happened to pass by there to deliver a bowl of porridge for Flynn, can just blink her eyes in shock and speechless, after she saw what her commandant was doing just now.

And that's why he forced himself to come. Sodia had been by his side and she noticed that Flynn is really out of his mind during the party. That's tolerable, because due to his fever, he must be feeling so dizzy. Plus he still has to wear heavy armor... that didn't make things easier.

As time passed by, Flynn had reached his limit. He bent down and panted. He coughed like he wanted to vomit.

"Commandant!" Sodia patted his back during his heavy cough. She felt Flynn's forehead with her palm and she realized that his temper sky-rocketed. This is not good.  
"Commandant, I think you better go back and rest..Don't force yourself" Sodia suggested to him. She felt really miserable seeing him like that.

"But, what about the safety guard for the Royal family?"

"Commandant, do you trust me? Don't listen to what that bastard Eter said. You'd better go back" Sodia assured him. Flynn rolled his blue eyes and gazed at her face. She really looked worried. "Please," she begged to him.

Flynn exhaled and he smiled to her. He felt glad and embarrassed that he forgot that bastard Eter's words. Sodia made him relieved now. "Okay, I'll leave the rest to you" he finally decided. Sodia nodded surely.

And thus, alone, Flynn walked slowly to go back to the castle. He cannot even wait for himself to arrive at his roomand soon take a rest.

But he was shocked when he first arrived at the entrance. Was what he saw is true? Or was he just imagining things due to his fever? Flynn widened his eyes as he saw the knights who guarding the castle lying down there…covered in blood. They seem to be dead. No, it wasn't his imagination, the scent..it was real blood!

"What the hell is going on??" Flynn gasped. He had forgotten his fever already. He drew his sword out and set his awareness as he entered the castle.

What he found that the inside was more terrifying.

All of the servants, guards that usually at the corridor were all gone. What appeared now is sea of blood on the floor, and dead bodies' right here and there. Flynn gulped. Did a massacre just occur here?? But who?? One single person cannot do this. He means, they're the knights for the spirit's sake! How can they easily get beaten and killed like this?

Flynn came to look closer at one of the guard's dead body. It seemed like he was blades were being thrust in him until he was dead. Were these murderers using spear or lance?

Flynn got startled when he suddenly heard a scream. So there's someone who is still alive!

He quickly rushed to the voice source. It was from Estelle's room. One of her servant must be a victim now. He kicked the door open. And he finally saw it.

The murderers, they weren't human. Flynn cannot identify them. They look like human, indeed, but they're all black, and they got sharp claws instead of fingers. They have no face. It's all plain black, like a shadow phantom, and they were using ….a black butterfly mask.

One of them was hanging the poor servant with its hand. Flynn steadied in his battle position, with his sword.

"Who the hell are you?!" Flynn shouted. The black masked phantom didn't answer him and seems they won't ever answer. Flynn quickly rushed to the phantom that held the servant, he decided to save the last person left. He swung his sword toward the phantom, but suddenly, in a flash move, one phantom moved swiftly like a jellyfish and blocked his sword with its claw.

"What?" Flynn gasped. The phantom pulled his sword, thus making Flynn lose his grip to his weapon. The butterfly masked phantom blew him away with its kick, throwing him to a corner and he hit the wall. Hard.

"Gakh-!" Flynn growled in pain. Before he able to stand up, he saw that the phantom held his sword. Then, suddenly, the phantom, using Flynn's sword, thrust the poor servant's body and killed her. There was a loud scream before she finally died.

"Nooo!!" Flynn bit his lips as he was shocked to see that this and not be able to do anything. The poor servant, with his sword still on her stomach, was being thrown away. It was so splattered toward his face.

Flynn got raged, yet afraid. He saw that near him, there was a replica sword, a sidoss' family treasure. He quickly took that replica sword and use it as his weapon. He strokes an artes.

"Demon fang!"

One of the phantoms that was hit by his artes and disappeared. Flynn stood up and rushed toward them.

"BEAST!" he released another arte. And everytime he used an arte, that phantoms slowly disappeared one by one, without leaving any dust, like they were never existed before.

Flynn panted as he realized that none of the phantoms were left. Looks like he managed to wipe them out. He sighed in relief.

He moved to the last servant's dead body and felt sorry to hear that he cannot protect her at the very last. Slowly, he pulled out his sword from her body, it was already full in blood.

Right on that time, the door opened.  
There was Estelle, Eter, Ioder and some of the knights, except Sodia. Estelle gasped heavily in shock as she saw what occurred at her room. They were curious yet confused after they found the murdering at the castle, and look what they finally found.

"Flynn?! so…you're the one who DID this??! And to other dead people outside too??!"

Flynn blinked his eyes.

"No, I.." he realized his condition he got caught now. One servant got killed. And his sword was stabbed to her body. And he was the ONLY one there.

Ioder gazed to him with an unbelieving face, yet shocked.

Flynn cannot run away now. He got none of prove that he was innocent. Everyone there stared at him with a gaze like they was staring at a sinner.


	4. Stage 3 : Merry christmas, Mister Lowell

**Stage 3 : Merry Christmas, **

That day was so peaceful. Nerissa couldn't express her feelings that time. On that day when she saw Estelle, her lovely princess, come back home after that disaster. She had raised her as if she was her own daughter. The cheerful princess showed her gentle smile. A smile of pure happiness, which was never seen when she was still caged within the castle walls.

"Estellise, you look so happy" Nerissa said as she combed Estelle's hair.

That innocent girl nodded happily. She didn't say a word. Her expressions told a lot more than words.

"Ahaha…you know, you look just like a girl who's madly in love with someone" Nerissa giggled.

Estelle blushed, but then smiled, just like she wanted someone to finally notice.

"I..I do?"

Nerissa nodded.

"Did you meet someone during your recent adventure, little candy?" Nerissa teased her.

Estelle chuckled. "I met so many people"

"Oh yeah, but it seems like there was _only one_ who really got your attention" Nerissa replied with a very smart answer.

Estelle now laughed a little.

"Well…maybe….perhaps it's him"

Nerissa closed her eyes after she recalled those memories.

And somehow, Nerissa got this bad hunch. A hunch that her lovely princess will be gone from her side... for some reason.

--

The streets of Zaphias were already busy on that early morning. Many people wondered who the heck was diligent enough to start working at the cold morning, though no one actually cared to go outside and check. Yuri took advantage of that. Thanks to it, he can fix Judith's ship without a crowd of silly townspeople watching over him.

Yuri sighed as he saw the many holes on that big ship. This is gonna be a long morning. While, Judith just stood behind him and watch. Sometimes she offered nails if Yuri runs out. And so does Repede. It was so fortunate for that dog to have no thumbs, meaning the rest is up to Yuri.

"Yuri, please work carefully, you have to patch my ship as neat as possible. It has to look pretty, so that people won't think that I ride a wrecked ghost-ship" Judith suggested.

Yuri got pissed.

"Okay okay, Judy, if you want, I can paint your ship pink, with red cute flowers pattern on it. How does it sound?" he replied sarcastically.

Judith can't help but laughed. Teasing someone like Yuri is always be so much fun.

Ba'ul was near them, that entelexeia was still sleeping, and the noise from the streets of Zaphias didn't disturb him at all. He slept like a log.

When the sun reached above them, Yuri almost finished his job, just a little bit more. Right on that time, Judith heard noise coming from the direction of the town. It seemed like a big event was happening.

"Yuri, it seems like there's some fuzz goig on in your town. I wonder what that could be." Judith wondered.

Yuri raised his shoulder in uninterested expression. He assumed that it could be nonsense, some random stuff they stir just to cause some commotion.

"Duh. Perhaps in there's some drunk barbarians fighting each other or somebody who stressed out just tried to commit suicide" Yuri said nonchalantly.

Judith sharpened her eyes. She saw that the crowds not only included people from the lower quarter, but also the imperial knigts.

"Yuri, there are also some knights there. Now this looks serious" Judith informed him.

Yuri sighed."Well, probably Le Blanc was being a victim or, if he was good enough, managed to take care of the barbarians" he said, half laughed.

Judith hadn't been in Zaphias much, but she knew that if it was only that minor problem, the masses wouldn't be as noisy as this. She shook her head, trying not to wonder too much. Fortunately, somebody walked from the town towards their direction. He seemed to be a traveler.

Judith can't hold her curious, so she decided to ask that person.

"Hey mister, could you tell us what's going on down there?"

The traveler stopped and nicely, he explained them all.

"Oh, it's actually from the townsquare. The imperial knights and royal family were lasting a dead penalty to a knight. He will be beheaded in front of the mass, scary, huh?" he said it clear.

"Death... penalty? In front of the mass? Wow, such a strict discipline" Judith though.

Yuri stopped working. He never heard of a knight's head being cut off before. This is real news to him.

"A Knight? What kind of failure he had that he must receive the cruel death like that?" Yuri asked.

"Well, I don't know the detail, sir, but what amusing is that the knight has high rank among imperial knights" the traveler rubbed his chin.

"Wow. This is interesting" Judith commented. "Do you know that person's name?"

The traveler rolled his eyes. He heard that name being mentioned couple times and he think he remembered it.

"Ah if I remembered it correctly..It was…umm…Flynn, um ..Scifo. yeah! Flynn Scifo!"

Yuri knocked his hammer to his finger accidentally and he screamed in pain once he heard that name. Repede, who actually followed the conversation, immediately got up.

"What the hell?" Yuri confirmed to that person. "What happened to him? Why did he have to receive death penalty??"

"I don't know sir, I really don't know, I just passed by there. You'd better go to that place if you want to know. I must continue my journey, if you permit me…" The traveler said before he finally went away.

Judith rubbed her chin.

"He doesn't sound like he's joking…I guess it's true" Judith concluded.

Yuri gritted his teeth and thrown away his hammer and nails.

"Judith, let's go! We can continue this later!" He said as he stepped away, kinda rushed to the direction of Zaphias. Judith nodded. Flynn's life was more important than the ship. So she took her lance and followed Yuri with Repede.

As the traveler said, there are so many people gathered at the town square. In the middle, is a tall stage, and on the stage were a fierce big axe, and a stone table. People know already what the use of those things is. On the stage, stood some knights, and his highness Ioder, who got a nervous face, as if trying to hide his fear. At opposite side was Flynn, whose position was kneeling down, hands tied and feet chained. Two scary knights were holding his rope and chain. Flynn looks so pale, and not only that, scars were evident, as if was tortured.

Some of the people felt pity, some of them really were not against it. Most of those who wanted his death are the people who held grudge to Flynn and his brigade.

"Flynn!" Yuri gasped. He felt miserable to see his best friend like that.  
"Oh my, "Judith mumbled, followed by Repede's bark.

One of the Knights who took authority stepped on stage and declared loudly.

"Such a shame for an Imperial Knight!" he shouted. Then he turned his gaze to the town mass.

"O, the people of Zaphias, you must know of this! Last night, there was a tragic massacre at Zaphias Castle, where the Royal family lives. All guards and servants were killed inhumanely. It so happens that we found….the person who was behind all this! The one who took the lives of our own, is non other than our own Commandant, Flynn Scifo!"

The majority gasped heavily. The only ones who didn't were the ones who wanted this to happen. They never knew that such a massacre happened in the Noble's quarter. Some of the people whispered, making comments how disgusting it was. Most of the public quarter was starting to to lose respect for Flynn, though the Lower Quarter still had faith in him.

"What? How come I don't know about this?! Whatever, There's no way Flynn would do something like that!" Yuri murmured angrily. Judith stayed cool as she wanted to see the situation further.

"So, our trusty knight shows his true colors. That shameful, ! This is a very heavy crime you have commited. Betraying the Royal Family and taking innocent lives…..this death penalty, you deserve it? right? We expect you to agree, your highness" the Knight addressed Ioder.

Ioder gulped and got startled. The question was like an arrow that pierced through him. He was really confused on what to do. He gazed at Flynn's face nervously. He could not believe that Flynn was the murderer. It's not like him. But then again, he did not find any evidence to say that he wasn't the one who did it. And as Emperor, he has to make the right choice. To punish him or not to? of course, the situation forced him to choose the previous.

Ioder lifted down his head, trembling as he answered" I…I guess.."

Some people were agains it, shouting that he was innocent and should be released, while some yelled happily for their rival will be gone.

Yuri really got mad now. He thought Ioder was also Flynn's friend, despite of their position. Now, he doesn't show any courage to defend him, Yuri lost his patience. While not many people noticed, he drew his sword and move forward, intending to save Flynn.

But, Judith held him back.

"Judith, release me! I gotta.."

"No, Yuri, calm down! The situation is still unsure; you might worsen Flynn's situation of you act now. Let's be patient and see what happens first" Judith suggested.

Judith had a point. Holding back his anger, Yuri pulled back and followed Judith suggestion.

A knight suddenly spoke up. He was Eter. He stood beside Ioder.

"Well, I know that his highness still confused as to what to decide, because Flynn Scifo was the closest Knight to him and they formed bond for a long period. But still, if you people stand in way of justice, a crime like this is not tolerable. Even for a close friend. Now, do you have your conclusion?" he said calmly, trying to provoke the audience.

"Who is he? He did not give any damn in trying defend to Flynn" Yuri said, in suspicious face.

"Must be another rival,or hater who is jealous to him" Judith said.

Some people were now confused, some of them became more excited to see Flynn's head being cut off.

"Wait! Everyone!" suddenly a voice cracked amidst the noise. Yuri and Judith twitched to the voice. They saw the orange haired girl with cat eyes, who looked panic and depressed, step on stage. It was Sodia, and she got Estelle and Witcher with her.

Yuri sighed in relief. Sodia finally came to defent him. Bringing Estelle was great, she could come up with an argument to lower his charges.

"What's the matter, young knight?" the Knight who took the lead said to Sodia.

"I swear that last night commandant Flynn had a high fever. That's why he came back early. Someone who was that sick is incapable of doing what you think he did!" Sodia said her statement.

"What? He could be lying to you"

"No sir, I also knew that. He did have a fever" Estelle said honestly. "Eter, you knew that too" Estelle stared to him. But Eter just chuckled.

"Well, if the Fever was true, it was still a weak thesis, unless you can explain what he has been doing last night, hugging a bloody servant, with his sword stabbed in her body?" Eter argued. He twitched to Flynn.

"Well, Flynn? Got any explanation?"

Flynn gritted his teeth. He was unsure to explain to them about the dark butterfly phantoms. They won't believe him and in reverse, they might judge him crazy and that explained why he did a murdering, it probably because he's going crazy and out of his mind. He was quite sure that that would be what the people will think.

So Flynn just kept quiet.

"Ahaha! See? He cannot answer for himself!" Eter said in winning face.

Estelle lowered her eyebrow "Flynn?" she was wondering why Flynn didn't said anything for his defense. Could he really the man behind that tragedy?

"So, sweet knight, I know that you're a knight under his command right? Too bad, feelings alone won't save your commandant, haha! Or would you want to accompany him? Eh?" The arrogant leader said to her. " I bet you're actually useless, you just act like.."

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT HER!" Flynn suddenly screamed in rage. He panted after he shouted.

Everyone was startled and focused all of their attention on him. Including Sodia and Estelle. Flynn did not saying anything to defend himself, but he bravely defended his subordinate. Now none of them understand what was going on anymore.

The arrogant leader approached him in anger.

"Oho? So you still has some valor to squeak, heh?" he pulled Flynn's hair so their face met. Flynn stared at him, un afraid. The leader suddenly slapped him strongly, making a sound that silenced the crowed and caused blood to spill from his mouth.

"You son of a-!" Yuri was already ready to get at it, but Judith pulled him back again. Judith pointed to the stage. An elegant woman with red hair stepped on stage. The woman held Sodia, who seemed like she was ready to attack Eter, just like Yuri.

"Well, well, I heard this case" the woman said.

"Nerissa.." Estelle whispered.

Nerissa twitched to Estelle and Sodia, she smiled and her face said that she can handle this. She related to Ioder, she was also from the Algiros family,a reason why everyone there respected her.

"If Flynn is really the murderer," Nerissa said. "Yes, he deserved to get punished like this. BUT. From what I read, the law said that we must wait a period of time before the punishment is commenced. I said the shortest is 5 days. It is to make sure that we got the right person. So people, we just have to keep him locked up for the next 5 days. If we find no evidence to prove that he is innocent, the charge will be made. I think you all got that." Nerissa said and bent down.

Some of the knights whispered.

Ioder finally decided. "Okay, as the law said, there's no need for such a rushed punishment. I apologize for not noticing earlier. Thank you, Nerissa for pointing this out to me. So, please bring him back to the prison and we shall for 5 days for his final judgement" Ioder said wisely.

Sodia and Witcher sighed in relief.

Some of audiences were disappointed because they can't see the punishment now.

Yuri and Judith were also felt relieved with this. 5 days. That woman Nerissa had given them chance to prove that Flynn is really innocent, and they can hunt down the real suspect and solve the mystery behind the massacre.

In order to do that, first, they need Flynn himself, of course.

Yuri and Judith gazed to each other. Yuri smiled to Judith In some way that only Judith can understand

"Lady, I guess you can't go home today. I was about to ask you to hang out with me," Yuri winked to her "….tonight"

Judith giggled. She also winked to him "Nice offer. I'm gonna be yours tonight"

--

The moon was full and was colored blood red. Legend said if that red moon appeared, a big event will happen. Tonight, at the noble quarter, two people played a stealth game to slip into the Zaphias Castle, while One dog was outside, standing guard. Fortunately, one of them had the way memorized very well in his head.

"Such an advantage that you used to be thrown to the jail, Yuri" Judith praised him, but at the same time sounded as if she was mocking him.

"Oh yeah, I know the way very well, they can't underestimate me" Yuri said in confidence. But, it was only until they reached an intersection.

Yuri and Judith stood together in silence. None of them move to the right or to the left.

"Well, Mr. Lowell, go ahead choose. What's taking you so long?" Judith said plainly.

"To be honest…I forgot that there was this intersection" Yuri replied easily.

"So, are we lost?" Judith asked in terse reply.

"Umm.."

"We lost, aren't we?" Judith repeated.

"Ah! My instinct says we go to the left!" Yuri moved to the left, but he sounds like he's pretending like he knew the way. He left Judith behind.

"…We did get lost" Judith sighed plainly before he decided to go to the same direction with Yuri.

The situation seems so fine. They barely make sounds that will make the new guards suspicious and notice that they were there. They walked together, trailing the corridor, which hopefully leads to the prison. After a bit turns, they finally reached the place. Yuri checks every cell, hoping to find Flynn, when there suddenly a voice that called him.

"Yuri?"

Yuri turned to the cell where he heard that familiar voice. It was Flynn. Looks like Flynn had guessed already that it's really obvious he will do this, sneak in to the castle's prison to save him.

"Hey, blonde fella! I am glad you seem fine! I thought you are already turned into a sardine" Yuri greeted him.

Flynn chuckled.

"Damn you, I am not that weak. Do you think I'll expect you to turn into sardine if you're the one who suffer this?"

"Haha! Well, I guess not. Whatever, we must get you outta here" Yuri said as he thought of a plan to open the lock smoothly without being noticed. Judith suddenly stepped forward as she pulled something from her pocket. It was a nail.

"May I try?" Judith offered in confident voice. Yuri made way for her and in no time, Judith was busy lock. Soon after, the lock opened in smooth ching-a-ling sound. Judith swished her hair in proud as she opened the jail "There,"

Yuri whistled as Flynn stepped outside. It was just like a magician performance.

"Wow, how could you do that?" Flynn felt terrified with Judith's talent.

"Ah well, I still had some nails around. I thought they would be useful." Judith replied.

"Always ready when the situations needs, well that's Judy" Yuri was happy he brought Judith along. Now all they have to do is get out of the castle, and find a way to prove Flynn's innocence.

The safest way to escape was from sewer, Like how Yuri and Estelle first escaped the castel. The soon made their way towards the sewers, following Yuri's dusty memory (so he did forget the way although he often thrown in jail).

"Phew, Thank you guys. This way I still have chance" Flynn said in the middle.

"…." Yuri was silenced for a moment, like he was thinking something serious.

"Hey, Yuri?" Flynn tilted his head as he tapped him.

"Well, seriously Flynn…you're not the murderer right? It wasn't you who killed the entire people in the castle, right?" Yuri asked in a low tone, without even looking to his face.

Flynn raised his tone "What?? Of course not! For what purpose would I do something like that? I was surprised also! Geez!"

Yuri exhaled, "Ah well, then I'm glad. Because, if by any chance we're here and you admitted that you were really the one who killed them all…"

Yuri turned his face to Flynn, he showed a cold fierce face, as he lifted his sword, who he had drawn without being noticed "….I'll be the one who cut your head here right now"

Judith blinked her eyes and Flynn gulped.

Yuri sense of justice has grown bigger and bigger. He doesn't care anymore whether if they are friend or not, he's going to give them punishment his own way, like a vigilante. But it was still doubtful. Will he really kill Flynn if he was the real murderer?

"Well, but I know you're not. I just know that, so..let's go hunting the real dingo" Yuri suddenly changed to his usual self and said in spirited voice to Flynn. Flynn nodded surely. About those phantoms... He must tell Yuri. At least, he will believe him.

"Yuri, you know.."

Before Flynn managed to tell him, suddenly, from the sewer hole they are going to enter, popped in a boy, with dusty head, along with an awful scream

"Whoaaaa!"

The boy fell on the floor and finally seized screaming.

Yuri, Judith and Flynn were surprised. They know that boy very well.

That boy scratched his head and threw his gaze around the castle. He looked confused.

"Who…Am I already in other dimension? Am I on heaven?? Am I.." That boy's eye met Yuri's eye, who was gazing to him in questioning face. That boy also realized that Flynn and Judith also stared at him in wonder. He pointed to them in shock " Wha! Angels?? You looks like Yuri, Flynn and Judith!"

"Wake up, Karol dear. You're down here with us and no, we're not angels. We're the real deal" Yuri sighed as he tried to snap Karol out of his imagination. He folded his hands.

"What are you doing here? How can you enter this castle alone?" Judith asked in big curiosity.

Karol rolled his eyes. To be honest, he also doesn't know how he ended up in the castle. It just happened.

"Well, I was busy at Halure, but I found a mysterious Underground tunnel! So I decided to investigate it, and when I trailed the tunnel, I got lost. I finally find a way to get and that's how I ended up here" Karol explained " You believe that?? There must be some mystery hiding behind the tunnel! I am gonna find it! and.."

"Okay, okay Detective Karol, but we're kinda busy here. You know we're currently trying to escape the castle" Yuri cut his sentences.

Karol raised his eyebrows "You what?? What did you guys do now??"

None of them can explain to Karol. It was kinda hard to explain and they could'nt say anything at the moment.

Flynn then heard sound from the direction they were coming from.

"Argh, I knew it. We were making some notable noise here when Karol entered, I think the guards noticed and are now heading towards here" Flynn said as he gulped.

"Huh?" Yuri turned his head and he heard lot of footsteps followed by random command from one of the leading knights. "Tch. Seems like you're right. We have to run for now, go to that direction!" Yuri pointed an intersection as he commended them to run. Although Karol still didm't get the situation, he followed Yuri, Judith and Flynn.

Bad luck. Like the Knights already know which way they will try to escape, a brigade of knights already blocked their way and they were surrounded. The weapons they were pointing to them scared the hell out of Karol. He never imagined that his adventure would end like this.

"Nice Try, fellas. But too bad" suddenly the brigade captain appeared. And damn as expected, it was Eter. He was genius, he already predict that this thing might happened.

Flynn clenched his fist in anger, he already disliked Eter from the beginning, and now that he screwed up the blonde knight's plan. Flynn had grown to hate him like hell. Judith stepped back. She slowly pulled out her lance and ready to fight, and so does Yuri, who had his sword ready to chop every obstacle there.

Three of the knights moved to arrest Flynn, but with his kick, Flynn flung away every of their swords and lances. He steadied with his fist.

"Ahaha! So you're trying to face my knights with bare handed? You got no weapon, what a pity!"

"Just because I am without a weapon, does not mean you should underestimate me" Flynn said with a mysterious smile. With fast move, he made some of the knights fainted by a fast, sting-like punch and dragon claw kick.

They were surprised.

"Just an FYI, When I was a child, Yuri and I often spar bare handed. Compared to that, you're nothing" Flynn said.

"That was true" Yuri added. "So let's get on the with the program!!" Yuri said as he broke through toward bunch of knights

"Flynn! Judith! You know your portion!" Yuri said in the middle of his fighting.

"Got it! Crescent moon!" Judith had finally made her move, followed by Flynn. Karol followed them also. He was afraid indeed, but he got used to fight something even scarier than just knights. Yuri advanced toward Eter. He had been disliking him, and wanted to finish him of first, but Eter blocked his sword with his rapier.

"Oh, such an aggressive one" Eter commented to Yuri as their weapons clash.

"People said destroy the head if you want full triumph" Yuri said as he smirked. He pulled his sword back and releases an arte "Azure edge!"

Again, that was blocked by Eter's rapier.

_Damn it, he got good,_ Yuri thought.

Meanwhile, the knights were calling for reinforcement as Flynn defeated them one by one.

"Pitiful!no matter How many reinforcements you call, it's no use!" he said as he continue to fight the bunch new reinforcement.

Flynn sensed a strike was coming from behind him.

"Eyaaaaah!"

ZHROB!

Flynn managed to block the attack. He was going to give the striker a finishing blow, but he realized who the one who strike him is. He got his eyes widened.

"Sodia??"

That orange haired girl were also surprised that she attacked her own commandant.

"Co..Commandant Flynn?" She looks confused. "B-but the informer told me that the intruder were a long haired man and a purple haired girl..that's why..I.." she twitched to Eter.

Yuri realized that the atmosphere getting intense. He got his concentration to attack Eter was broken into two.

In the middle of fight, Eter gave that girl a command.

"Sodia! Now you see! Your mission is to kill the intruders and escaping prisoner! You have to do your duty!Kill him now!" Eter shouted to her.

Sodia trembled. If she knew that her commandant was the one included in this mission, she would have chosen to deny the task and pretend like she was not available instead. It was too late. She slowly pointed her short sword to Flynn, but amazingly, Flynn did not move or commence a defense. He gazed straight to her eyes.

"Sodia! Kill him! Now!" Eter shouted once again.

"But, but I!" Sodia bit her lips, she moved a step forward, and swung her sword slowly as she closed her eyes tight. This was an experieced she never wanted to relive.

Yuri realized that condition. "Flynn! Idiot!! Counter her! Counter her!!" Yuri warned him because Flynn seemed like never going to make a move when he's facing Sodia. And thus Yuri lost his awareness from Eter's attack.

"Gotcha!" Eter saw a chance opening.

Karol realized that before Yuri, Eter was going to stab him before he ever realized.

"Yurii! Watch ouuuuuut!!"

Yuri quickly turned his head and he saw Eter was striking him. He closed his eyes because the timing to dodge was too late, and suddenly..

STAB!

Yuri's eyes widened and his feet trembled when he saw what happened before him.

Eter did not manage to stab him. Karol had jumped and stood in front of Yuri, becoming his shield. He received Eter's strike and thus Eter's rapier was being thrust to his chest, like needle sewing through cloth. Karol had bled massively and coughed up blood.

Eter was also surprised that he stabbed wrong target, he quickly pulled his rapier from Karol's body, making blood drip on the floor, making a trail. Karol fell down, but Yuri caught him. He was really shocked and worried now.

"KAROL!! KAROOL!" Yuri shouted to him, hoping that kid was still alive. Yuri's hands were also covered by blood, due to his massive bleeding.

That event made the fight stopped. Sodia stopped her attack, she and Flynn now paid attention to Karol, and so does Judith.

"This is not good…" Judith twitched to Flynn as she pointed to an open window. Flynn understood, they have to escape, since Karol was injured so badly.

Flynn moved toward Sodia with a speed that made her cant notice, and he slipped behind her. He whispered "I'm sorry"

And,

SMACK

Sodia got her neck hit by Flynn. Flynn hit the right spot that made her faint right after receiving the hit. He managed to make her unconscious for a while.

Judith had stood near the big open window and she commanded Yuri and Flynn to come with her.

"I called Ba'ul! Quick! This is our chance!" Judith said.

Yuri gritted his teeth. He brought Karol with him and rushed to Judith's place. Eter tried to block him once more, but Flynn managed to kick the rapier out from his hand and it thrown away far from his reach.

"Damn!" Eter spitted out. He got no knights left to help him.

"Quick, Yuri!" Flynn rushed and pushed his back to move faster.

Right on that time, Estelle appeared with Nerissa and Ioder. She was really shock to see that kind of mess. She saw Eter his bodyguard was kneeling down on the floor.

"Eter? What happened…..Yuri??" Estelle realized that right near the window, there were Yuri, who brought Karol on his hands, Flynn and Judith. She really confused. It was obvious that Yuri helped Flynn to escape, but what happened to Karol? And to Sodia?

Yuri gasped. It's not such a pleasant time to meet her. Plus, Karol was injured badly.

"Yuri! What's wrong?? Please explain to me, don't go yet!" Estelle begged as she rushed toward them.

But Judith know priority the best, she quickly jumped out of the window, when she sensed Ba'ul presence near the castle. Flynn tapped Yuri's shoulder; he gave him sign that it's time to go.

Yuri nodded. Their priority now is to escape and save Karol. That kid was still breathing, but it was weak and don't know how long he will last.

"I am sorry Estelle, not now" was the terse reply from him to her, as he turned his face away from her and followed Judith and Flynn to escape from the window.

"Wait!" Estelle yelled to them but she was too late. Yuri and his companions have already gone. They managed to get to Ba'ul and fly away from there. Estelle just gazed to the dark emptiness outside. She was kinda disappointed.

Eter walked near her and tapped her shoulder. "I am sorry, lady Estellise. We had made some fuzz that disturbed you" he said politely. Estelle lifted down and shook her head.

Nerissa watched her in miserable face while Ioder gritted his teeth as he looked down. Damn, this was getting messier and he started to feel that it was his fault. This had never happened before he became the emperor.

--

In the middle of the flight, Yuri tried hard to have Karol respond to him. And at the very least, Karol can open his eyes for a little while and said something to him. It was barely though.

"Am I…going to die..?" Karol said in tremble as he held his stomach with his right hand. "It hurts…it is really hurts.."

"No way, Karol! You can still make it! Don't say something like that!" Yuri shouted to him and tried to get him to think positive. Judith tried her best. She had some Krityan potion that worked like an antiseptic to his injury. She applied them to his injury slowly. It won't reduce the pain, though.

Repede, who managed to get on Ba'ul, licked Karol's face. He tried to comfort that little boy even for just a bit.

Yuri punched the floor in aggression. That time, if only he could have been more aware….

"I am sorry Karol, it was my fault. Because of protecting me you have to suffer this" Yuri said slowly.

"No, Yuri. It was also my fault. Your concentration was broken because of me" Flynn muttered.

Judith got annoyed.

"Stop saying whose fault that caused this. What important now is whe have to bring Karol to a doctor. Where do we go? We can't bring Karol to your house, Yuri" Judith put out the problem.

"Ah, that's right, I think we'd better go to Halure. It's the nearest town. How does it sound?" Yuri suggested.

Flynn nodded in agreement. "I agree, we should be safer there. And we can get medical treatment for Karol"

"Okay,..So we're going to Halure. Ba'ul, you got it?" Judith lifted up her head.

A wavy sound "wooongaah" can be heard. And thus those four with Ba'ul flight toward Halure's direction, hoping that it would not be too late to save Karol.

Yuri had this feeling. He felt that it was really his fault for Karol to have suffered pain like that. He also felt that he just abandoned Estelle. While Flynn, deep inside actually cannot forgive himself for what had he done to Sodia. He was not able to explain, but he got no choice.

These contradicting priorities did nothing to help them at all.

--

Estelle cannot sleep. Her mind was full of questions that nobody can answer, it seems. She knows that. She knows what Yuri had done, there must be some reason that he must left in a hurry. But still, there's something deep inside her said that he was ignoring her. He had forgotten about her. He didn't care about her anymore, because from the very beginning, they really had no buisness with each other.

But back then, they also promised they will stick together as friends, exploring the world, in part that they haven't now. But he seems to forget that too. Somehow she felt lonely for some reason.

When she was thinking, a dark butterfly suddenly floated down her head. Estelle was surprised

"A butterfly? Where did it come from?" Estelle wondered.

And she heard it. She heard someone whisper to her head, and then she became dizzy."What..what happened..I.." Estelle held her head as she felt dizzier, when the voice started to whisper her again. It told her about her fears.

_Yes Estelle, you're an useless princess_

No..No way

_No? but even if you weren't there, nobody would care._

I... I still have my friends, they won't abandon me

_Friends? Now where are they?_

They…

_Him?_

Him..he was there

_He doesn't care about you_

It can't be..

_He chose Flynn, he chose Judith, he chose any of your other 'friends', more than you_

No way! He wouldn't..

_Then how can you explain the event just now?_

No..

_It hurts?_

Yeah..

_Does it really hurt?_

Yeah

_You came to like him so much. That's why it hurts?_

Yeah

_What should you do to get rid of that pain?_

I don't…know

_It would be better if he wasn't existed. From the very beginning_

It's..better..if he's..gone

_Yeah, you right_

Yeah

_So, what do you want to do?_

Estelle felt that her head was like being pressed, she lost her mind to the whispers. She screamed.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!"

She released her power. Everything was blown away and turned into a mess. She stopped as she panted. Her eyes suddenly turned dark and pale. She turned back to her doll-like state.

And that time, somebody suddenly entered. He was surrounded by many dark butterflies.

"So honey, what do you want to do?"

Estelle turned her head to him and gazed him with empty eyes stare.

"Kill…….Yuri…."

end of chapter 3 ^^;;

I will continue if the reviews are enough to gain me power to continue XD


	5. Stage 4 : Dispensation Discommunicated

Writer's note : Phew. It has been...3 years o_o. I am sure making reader waited that..LONG. I remember I made this when Vesperia was still in state of hot, still in XBOX 360 and Graces was just announced-then now we already have Xillia 2 XD;; I was occupied by college and I don't feel that this story satisfies me because back then my writing skill was sucks ( and not really getting that much improvement though), I was completely blind with "Ooooh let's kill and kill!" and I noticed there are so many OOC's-which I cannot tolerate. but then, some people made me wanted to finish this, though I had write many other fanfics including other Tales of. My BETA has retired though, and my writing style has changed, including my pairings preference. so I tried hard to make this chapter good-but I think I'd be missing some grammar, still. anyway, due to the release of TOV PS3 and FS, I could manage to complete some characters-from OC into the official one there available at the series to play the role.(Read : Fainus, Hisca, Shastelle)**  
**

anyway, if there is still loyal follower of this fic-I thank you very much. I'll keep continuing. although, there might be chance I get on Hiatus, depends on situation. enjoy XD

*imagining if she finished this 10 years later*

* * *

**Stage 4 : Dispensation Discommunicated **(No way out)

Heavy rain fallen piercing through the black pitch nocturne. Each of its noise resonated with the tension race within the heart of every single person whom not yet drown to the vast world of dream. Restless,those hands kept on moving, tried hard to get back one important life which almost containing none of hope anymore.

_Drip._

_Drip._

_Drip_.

In the middle of indescribable pain he felt at his entire body he was able to hear that sounds. But as the pain started to vanish gradually he couldn't really hear that sounds anymore. Weird. In fact he realized that he was able to open his eyes, he was somewhere unknown. Most notable thing to him was only the dancing patterns there. Another thing is that he felt like he was flying. He wasn't so awared anymore of what just had happened. He might don't care. This feeling is comfortable. It's time for him to go.

It's not wasted, he had protected one important person to him. Finally. After all of his useless whimpers, complains, he can finally reward something. A bit sad actually. Nonetheless it was worthy.

"Karol, don't die on me!" a familiar deep voice heave to his hearing. The sound was faint.

"Grab his pulse, we're doing an all-out!"

"Hey, are you kidding? We're not even a doctor!"

"Damnit," Flynn hissed as his hand turned like a crimson glazed object. Blood scent pierced through his noise. Judith sweat. She was carefully closing his whole internal opening injuries, and Yuri was keeping track on his respiration and vitality. They were not alone, the Mayor of Halure and few people they managed to ask for help lend them some hands. The whole of them were currently facing a life-death racing. They wanted to save Karol, even if the possibility rate is low. The prime conditional they have to achieve is mainly to close his coronary wound and other stricken internal organs before he lost all of his blood and then he'd never be heard of anymore.

However there was not any of them a specialist medic. And even an advanced healing Artes such as Flynn's did not work on this one. But Yuri'd prefer to bet and lost honorably than to give up entirely.

"This is not good," Yuri sounded almost trembling when he started to sense Karol's respiration was in faint.

Honestly if he could, he'd want to open his eyes to them, greet them with smile. Then he'd also do some brotherly toss with Yuri, together going again to kick some rotten ass. Fortunately he can't. Right now he was already succumbed. Oh, how he wanted to at least say goodbye and thank you to all of them, for giving so much effort at him. He felt their warmth of love.

_Flap._

He could hear another presence in his realm. Who could that be? A real angel who came to take him?

But no, instead, a butterfly flew around him.

"Huh?" Karol was in confusion. He looked around to see where he actually was. How come a butterfly emerged just out of nowhere?

"Hello..?" he tried to greet. Maybe there was really someone or something there.

He then noticed an appearance of a boy—his age looked as the same as him. He got red eyes and there were so many colorful butterflies around him. The kid gazed at him with a blank stare. Karol was stunned for a moment, but then he approached the kid.

"Ah umm...nice to meet you. So what is this place? Is it heaven yet?" he said politely much to his own presumption. The boy tilted his head. Looked that he has no Idea what Karol was talking about. Karol scratched his head.

"Uh, I mean, I was wounded really bad, rite? It seems that I am no longer has chance of living. So maybe I am already in heaven—or at least that was what I thought" Karol awkwardly told him. The kid blinked but still without words. His expression then changed into a more brilliant one, like he had noticed something. That mysterious kid suddenly streched his arm and pointed to Karol. A blue colored butterfly flew toward him, and vanished right when it reached Karol's chest.

"Huh? What—" Karol did not even has time to guess what the hell that kid was doing. He suddenly feel that any platform under his feet moved—in mach speed as a coaster. "WOOOOO!" he screamed as he felt pressure sensation to his heart and stomach. He closed his eyes. Somehow he wished to stop, but it still went on.

"STOP IT!"

Karol shouted. He finally dared to open his eyes. He wanted to blame that mysterious little kid, but the scenery when he opened his eyes was different. He noticed that there is someone's finger inside his nose. Much awkward moment.

"Heh?" Karol blinked like an Idiot. He noticed his surroundings—he was at Mayor's house. Judith was there with surprised face and roller bandage. "Ara, you have awaken," was her only terse comment. not only her, almost everyone there had that shocked face. Including Yuri, whose finger was still stuck at Karol's nose.

"Karol..?" Flynn muttered slowly, as if he was unbelieving. Though, he slowly started to form a smile. Yuri released his finger from him, much to his awkward. He was only doing more accurate respiration track check. His face looked relieved, but also amazed "Captain, you're back" he claimed. "Oh, and make sure to clean your nose often" Yuri continued as he mocked and rubbed his fingers with cotton.

In a count of five, all people he saw in the house yelled.

"He's back! He's alive!"

"Thank goodness, thank goodness!"

"Viva Karol!"

Each of them hugged Karol in turn. That boy was almost unable to breath and thought if that continued, he'd really die breathless for sure. He wondered though, how do actually he managed to come back alive? Even the pain was frantically reduced a lot. Was it because Yuri and other's effort? Or...was it that kid in his unconsciousness realm doing? Too many mysteries.

The rain stopped.

* * *

_Hey, I am a natural entertainer. _

_Aren't we all holding pieces of broken anger?_

_I am just trying to remember,_

_Who I can call? Who can I call?_

The girl sat as if she almost has no live within her. Though it was already dawn and the sun slowly heave in sight, giving it blessed shine to her. She was alone in her room and probably alone in her heart. She was just like a blythe.

The room's door opened. A humble young Emperor entered in. He had been much in worry since the event of last night, especially to Estelle. Her gaze turned somehow different. What she had encountered was probably too much.

"Estellise," He called. Still, no live reply from the princess. She looked to him, but not with his usual warm and energetic smile. Sadness drawn in her face. Ioder tried to come up with something nice to cheer her up. "Hey, why don't you take a morning walk? I heard that the flowers are blooming. You want to see?"

The girl did not reply. She lifted down her head again. A slow mutter can be heard "No.."

Ioder was stuck. He stoned there only staring at her. He moved closer and bent down, trying to comfort her once more, and face her eye to eye.

"I see. Is there something you want, then?"

Again, the girl did not answered. Really strange. Usually she was the one who excited to talk about many things, about the book she read, and many other She can't stop talking, even Ioder had no time to reply at her first.

"Hm?"

Ioder realized something had just flown from her shoulder. It got closer to him. "Butterfly?" he wondered as he followed the movement of the mentioned butterfly. Its color is dark purplish. The butterfly then flew away outside through the window, at the same time a voice heard from the room's door.

"Your Highness Ioder. My deepest apologize, but I need to talk some serious thing. If you would"

Ioder recognized the voice. It was Estelle's assigned private bodyguard, Eter. Ioder formed a tense facial. Somehow he felt no good at everytime he faced Eter, Especially after yesterday's events. He inhaled and tapped Estelle's shoulder before he got out. The silver haired Knight was ready for him.

"I was waiting for your approval to move our security forces to hunt down the escaping prison and his criminal friends, then arrest them. According to my calculation they might not yet get so far. So if we move quick, we can instantly catch them" Eter explained. His tone was really polite. Yet to Ioder, he felt pressured enough.

Ioder wasn't replying. He looked aside with certain thinking. Was he to agree at any inhuman treat to his closest relatives and friend? No.

"Eter," Ioder looked at him. "I don't think what we're doing, neither our prejudice was correct. I think we act as one unfair side" Ioder stated. Eter changed a little of his expression when he heard that. "So, I won't approve, nor I will agree to any idea regarding that" he unwavering, claimed.

Eter formed a smile. He changed a bit of his gesture "Oh really? But it was a total mess to this Empire. Or you actually want to play blind and wished this empire to slowly fall into doom? Be wise, your highness" he persuaded.

Ioder shook his head "I will take action and decision my own way. You're not the one with authority, Eter. So, mind your place and be careful of your action, I mind you" Ioder bravely stated. He stared at Eter eyes with a bold determined face. Both of them will continue doing that, but fortunately Nerissa came to an aid. "Your Highness, a Criminology Consultant wanted to have words with you" she said as she walked. When she passed Eter though, she twitched at him with a sharp glare, before she turned away from him.

Eter chuckled dry when both Ioder and Nerissa had gone. His evil smile worn once again.

"I don't have the authority huh? We'll see about that" he swished his hair. "And let's see _who _actually had to mind their action" he continued as he entered a room where Estelle sat. His eyes indicated that he was up to something.

* * *

"Be careful, you still need to rest for 3 months" Judith warned Karol when that kid was once again busy hyping about his own project. It was unbelievable that they were actually in big stress last night to save him. Although Karol was still incapacitated to do reckless actions and hard work, he seemed totally okay.

"Excuse me, one special porridge coming right up!" suddenly Yuri barged into his room with a steamed bowl in hand, napkin and spoon in his left hand, while his right hand rested on hip and his left foot obviously the one kicked the door open. He was with Flynn behind.

"Yuri!" Karol was surprised. He didn't expect that Yuri'd do much service like bringing him a bowl of porridge. Yuri put the bowl, napkin and spoon at a table near Karol's bed. Karol who was hungry quickly grabbed the bowl and happily eat.

"Watch out it's hot" Yuri nonchalantly warned him "And don't protest about the taste. I wasn't at full concentration. An all nighter like last night killed my stamina"

"My, but it's so nice of you to give such a satisfying hospitality, hm?" Judith teased him. "I wonder if it's going to rain again" she looked at the window, much to her mockery about Yuri's kindness.

"Nothing like that," Yuri folded his hand and denied. "I was detecting Flynn at the kitchen. He said he got worried to Karol and intended to make some food for him. I merely do a justice to it" he pointed at Flynn with thumb.

"Yeah I was worried if you haven't eat anything. Yuri forbid me to cook and insist to pass the chef work to him" Flynn confessed. He looked at Yuri with somehow cranky face, as if he was not satisfied probably because Yuri was try to avoid him from the kitchen. Yuri just raised his shoulder with a sour smile.

"Ah..you don't need to do that actually, Flynn" Karol waved his hand.

"Not to worry?" Flynn tilted his head.

"...no, I mean, to cook" Karol answered, but he whispered instead, making the blond knight got more puzzled. Judith who was hearing the entire conversation giggled.

.In between of his eating, Karol suddenly silenced. He lifted down his spoon. "Thanks for saving me, Yuri" he said slowly. Yuri lifted his eyebrow and stunned for a moment, before he sighed with a soft smile. "It's not me. Everyone was giving their best to save your life. And then," Yuri stood firmly hand folded with a brighter face "_You _were the one who saved me, Captain"

Karol blinked. He then giggled shyly as he scratched his hair. Both Judith and Flynn smiled to see the scene of the two of them.

"Anyway," Yuri turned down to his usual cool tone. "We haven't heard the actual chronology from all this crazy scheme. Time to deal with it" Yuri turned serious as he twitched to Flynn. it was like he gave the blond a sign to reveal what was actually happened.

Flynn nodded.

"Actually, I was having a fever. So, when I was in duty to attend the Royal family party, I permitted myself to go back earlier. Sodia insisted to take my part. When I had gone back, though..the entire people in the castle were already died—inhumanely. I checked the entire castle to see if someone was still actually alive. I found a servant, she was alive. But she was being held captive by—" Flynn gulped for a moment. He inhaled. Finally he had to tell this.

"A mysterious Butterfly masked phantom with hands of blade. Not only one but many of them. They must be ones who did the whole thing. They appeared out of nowhere. I tried to fight them but none of my attack worked. They got staggered but they're not vanished. I was put in pinch, but then they suddenly gone. And the Royal Members found me in the condition, as you have heard from the knight from yesterday"

Flynn exhaled. He stared to the three of them. All of them were giving their serious facial, but none of them commented on him. Flynn felt uneasy "..You won't believe that, huh? Sigh..I know.." he lifted his head down.

Yuri leaned at the wall and closed his eyes "No, I believe in you" he said short.

"Really?" Flynn made sure.

Yuri just nod. "Because you've never been too good at lying, neither make a cool story like that" he answered, half-joking. But it was true.

"You meanie," Flynn made up a sour face. But then he grinned "But, thanks"

"Honestly, I once experienced a strange event as well. Though, I assured myself that maybe I was dreaming or seeing illusion" Yuri added his confession.

"Strange event? What kind of?" Judith curious.

"I saw a mysterious boy with red eye. He has a lot of butterflies surrounding him. Then he just vanished before my eye" He told shortly. His tone was light though, as if he wasn't really worried about that. Judith and Flynn went thinking about what Yuri had saw, but Karol jumped in sudden excitement.

"Ah! Ah! I just experienced the exact same thing!" he raised his hand "And then, another one at the underground passage too!"

"What is it, captain?" Yuri asked impatiently.

"I thought I am dying, but suddenly there I saw the Mysterious boy with red eyes and butterfly surrounded him. He gave me a blue butterfly, then I feel like being thrown on a coaster. And then, suddenly I am sober" Karol explained the chronology.

"And..the other one?" Flynn demanded continuation.

"I was with Rita. We found an underground entrance to a secret passage. It was dark and creepy. There were so many dark purplish butterflies there. And when I investigated it alone, I saw strange Relic like thing on the wall" Karol talked without any break to breath.

Yuri surely interested to hear this. Same thing goes with Flynn. while Judith looked still in calm attitude, but it looked like she believed in the three of them, even though she never experienced those kind of supernatural like thing.

"So...all the strange events related to..butterflies?" Judith made a conclusion.

The boys silenced, now they had to think over what's with the cat in the bag. The butterflies phenomenon, the massacre, and to add more..the new Bodyguard Knight of Estelle.

"Eter," Flynn muttered with a serious face."He was surely pretty calm even though such a strange phenomenon occurred" he judged.

"The one I fought yesterday and the one who treated you like animal? Indeed, something fishy with him" Yuri rubbed his chin and agreed. Worst condition is, Estelle was with him and he was the one closest to the princess. Not to mention now that Flynn was exiled from them, Ioder left without decent equal power to defend, if really Eter was the one behind all the scheme.

Judith huffed. "Yeah, I cannot say Eter was clean. But are you sure that his scheme to the Empire, and the strange butterflies phantoms phenomenon are in the same chain, not separately something different?" Judith made up a logic check.

"Y-yeah..the boy looked nice and...I can't see him being in one association with Eter" Karol agreed.

"Are you saying that, probably Eter just made a good use of this accident, that they occured at the right timing to him?" Flynn guessed.

Judith nodded "But, I am not sure. We have to solve the mystery slowly"

"The underground passage..let's check it out. Where was it, Karol?" Yuri turned to Karol as he came up with an idea.

"Under the Halure Great tree..it's near enough actually" Karol answered.

Yuri looked at both Flynn and Judith with a sign. Both of them understood and nodded to him. They'll check out if they could find any clue at the underground passage.

* * *

Nerissa was looking for the princess all around. It was getting late at night. All the business of the Sidoss and Algiros family due to recent accident whole day made her almost out of hand with the princess. She felt at guilt.

She couldn't find her anywhere. The only place left was her bedroom. And it got locked. Nerissa awared that the princess had been really down the moment when the long haired man parted from her. She understood. It was what it called "love" merely not? Probably, due to her mood the princess went to sleep early. Nerissa let go of the door handle and huffed. she decided to leave and not disturb the peaceful sleep of the princess.

She checked the room where Estelle loved to stay all day. There were so many books spreading around in mess. Nerissa exhaled. Must be the princess again, and she might be forgotten to return the books. Oh well, she'd let it go and tidy up the room by herself.

She started to get to work.

When she lifted the books and put them at the shelf, she suddenly heard a conversation. Nerissa looked at the back of the shelf. There was a tiny hole on the wall. That must be what let her hear the conversation people have at the room next to where she currently was.

"The minister once went to mt. Temza and he was having back ache because of that!"

"Hahaha, that stubborn one...he always all cocky, he deserves it"

Nerissa smiled in tickle feeling. Only some maids at the castle, as usual, they were gossiping.

"And then, also, the guard at nordopolica says that"

"Really? Crazy peep"

"And another one, a female guard once also declared of how awesome she wi—AAH!"

"Gwaargh!"

Nerissa stunned as she heard the last one. She let one book fallen from her hand. Suddenly the maids who were having conversation screamed as if they were in pain. What happened?

Nerissa thrown all the books left on the floor as if they were junks and quickly rushed to the next room. She quickly opened the door—Yuri's kicking style. She gasped when she saw the two maids were slain. Blood was spread on the floor. Not again. Not again. This happened again! They were in pinch!

One thing that came to Nerissa's mind was the Princess, and His Highness Ioder. She got to make sure that both of them guarded in well defense. She has to be careful herself too. Nerissa rushed through the corridor with a panic face. In her mind she was wondering who was the culprit. Why the guards didn't noticed the person's appearance?

It did not take long when she finally saw another corpse of fallen guards. They were slain at the neck. Easily like the guards even cannot put a defend. Nerissa gulped and fear crept to her. Estellise...she has to find Estellise!

"Hey,"

Nerissa screamed. She was afraid that anyone who did this massacre caught her. But when she turned back, she noticed a familiar face. One of Flynn's brigade, Sodia.

"Ms. Nerissa...thank goodness. I was worried. I found some of the guards were down...murdered" Sodia told her. "And then I immediately checked if the Royal Members were okay"

"Thank goodness that you're safe too, Sodia" Nerissa replied in relieved.

"I just arrived here. I saw the front guards down, unlike usual" Sodia said. Deeply she thought. ..Probably, this was also what Flynn has experienced back then.

"Estellise...and Ioder. We have to find them" Nerissa uttered in worried face.

"She was with Eter, right?" Sodia reclaimed. Nerissa nodded. However, somehow because of that she turned more worried. She never trusted that Knight. Somehow he looked fishy.

"Let's go, I'll protect you. Stay behind me" Sodia instructed her. Both of them made a careful movement. First they have to check Ioder's room. Since Flynn was gone, he doesn't have a really good defense.

They made it somehow to his room in safe. However, on the way they have passed through maids and guards down in blood, just like the recent massacre. It was totally awful to them. Nerissa knocked the door rather loud. It was so disrespectful and impolite, But it was no time to ever think of something like that.

"Your Highness!" Nerissa finally decided to barged in. Ioder was a bit surprised, for someone suddenly bang the door like that. "Nerissa..? why are you so restless?" Ioder suddenly had a hunch like something weird was happened. Nerissa panted before she could speak. "The massacre...happened again. Please, we have to get to somewhere safe!" she informed straightforwardly without any only has made Ioder put in a big shock. "..What?"

"Many of guards had been taken down again. We have to immediately escape" Sodia boldly suggested. Even though he was still surprised,he nodded to them. although he was rather curious... who was the murderer? Flynn? knowing that he escaped yesterday he might—but no. Not him. It couldn't be him.

"But...what about the other?" Ioder said, worried. He was pertaining to the other Royal members.

"I don't know.." Nerissa muttered. "We have to get them too. But first, let's meet with Estellise"

The three of them ran through the corridor. They aimed for Estelle's room. Their plan is, After they've gathered, they could escape together. After climbed some stairs up, They just need to turn left at the end of the corridor, and that was where they noticed something is wrong. There was something right at the corner.

A black creature...walked toward them. That was none other but the mysterious silhoutte of butterfly masked phantoms. It must be the culprit behind all of this. Its hands of blade covered by blood and were moving indirectly, as if it wanted to cut anything it met.

"What...the heck is that..?" Sodia trembly held her sword. She never fight that kind of creature, but she must protect His Highness Ioder and Royal Lady Nerissa. Damnit, and she was all alone. The other guards were down already. If only the commandant was here it might be easier.. well, there was Eter, but where the heck was he? He should be bringing Estelle out of this castle for safety, but they didn't meet him at all.

"Listen, I will distract this creature. Nerissa, go turn to Lady Estellise's room and pick her. Your Highness Ioder, please escape first" Sodia instructed. She managed to come with a strategy.

"But.." Ioder was hesitating. However the two women gazed at him with a glare, like he was forced to do so immediately. "Okay," Ioder agreed. He turned back and ran to the nearest exit way, before he could get killed too.

"Hyaah!" Sodia swung her sword. At the same time, Nerissa turned left to Estelle's room so she could pick her. This time, she didn't knock the door but kicked it open blatantly.

"Estellise! The situation here is terrible! You have to—" Nerissa stuck at words when she saw what scenery there at Estelle's room. The princess stood firm there. Sword in hand, full of blood. The two maids of her were down. This concluded that the princess were the one who murdered them.

Unlike Flynn whom showed an horror and horrified expression when he got caught at the same situation, Estelle strangely showed his usual cheerful smile—something that she lost this whole day.

"Es..tellise..?"

The princess turned her face from the maids to Nerissa.

"Oh, Nerissa. You came too," She greeted with her usual warm and kind tone. Totally like there was not anything wrong there.

"What is the meaning of this?" Nerissa shouted, both in fear and anger. No, she couldn't do something like that. It was unbelievable. Unbelievable.

"Hm?" Estelle tilted her head. "I just play a little with them. Erm..was that wrong?" she spoken with innocent tone. It didn't look like she was faking it. Something must be gotten to her,Nerissa was pretty sure about this. She rolled eyes around, hoping to notice if she caught anything suspicious. But she cannot find any.

And..where was Eter anyway?

"You look like you were bored too," Estelle commented. Much to creep Nerissa, she walked toward her with sword in hands. "Okay! Let us play too!"

In a matter of second. She stabbed Nerissa.

A painful ear piercing scream heard. It distracted Sodia who was fighting the phantom. She never managed to wound the phantom, and was having a hard time with it.

"Ms. Nerissa-?" she gasped. She got her concentration loss and made her not seeing a clear upcoming attack. The phantom slashed her shoulder, and then it wrapped her with it strange black blobby like attribute. As Sodia lose her breathing, it thrown the poor knight away, crashed at the wall, and fallen down blacked out.

* * *

Ioder managed to get out of the capital Zaphias alone. Thank goodness. However, he never planned where to go. He was kind lost in mind there. Suddenly, he got an Idea. He will aim to Deidon Hold, and then explain the situation to the people there. With that he sure he can get some help.

With glimmer of hope, Ioder quickly ran to Deidon hold.

"Where do you think you're going?"

A familiar voice heard. Ioder trembled because of it. It was none other but Eter's. That Knight..he was supposed to be with Estelle and helped the other royal members. But he was standing right behind Ioder, out of nowhere. Ioder gazed at him, terrified. The silver haired knight looked so creepy.

"Why? Unlike before, you didn't even squeak" Eter provoked him, reminding him of how brave he was back at the castle, tossing back any Eter's suggestion. Ioder just hissed. He was totally angry to Eter, and to himself, who was so powerless in front of him.

"Ah well, it's going to start anyway"

Ioder didn't get of what he was saying about something was going to start, until he suddenly witnessed a horrifying scenery. The sword of Zaphias, one sturdy remarkable monumental had grown in darker color. And then, something was spreading out from it. Slowly, they formed together, making a shape like...a butterfly wing. It was magnificent, yet at the same time scary and haunting.

He gasped. He got more assured that he has to escape. Eter was aware of that. He moved toward powerless Ioder with sword in hand. He thought that if he can't arrest and settled down the Emperor to mute, he just have to kill him. Then there will be no more obstacle, he could get the authority.

"Heeeeeewdid!" suddenly out of the darkness outside, there jumped a rhinoceros, with mysterious hood man ride on it. Eter stepped back when the hood man landed a sword attack at him. Eter spitted. He looked up at the attacker, expecting the man will open his hood after the attack. However, he did not reveal his identity. He just thrust a sword at Eter. Eter himself was calm and did not move at all. He looked pissed with this uninvinted guest, though.

"Who are you?" Eter asked in ominous tone. "And what do you want?"

"Me? Erm..I haven't think of the name of this form—but why do I have to tell you anyway? I am going to butcher ya" the hood man answered. He left Ioder stood with confusion. Though, the hood man suddenly whispered at him "Ride the Rhino, kid. Go as far as you can, got it?"

Ioder didn't get it at first—he was also skeptical for having to believe such a mysterious saviour man appearing out of nowhere and none of his identity was clear. But he was already mind fucked a lot that he decided to use whatever it is to escape quickly. He hopped on the Rhinoceros, and it was like the monster understood, the Rhinoceros quickly made a move and ran.

"Dang!" Eter got pissed. He was about to chase and attack the Rhinoceros, but the hood man got in his way.

"Oit. You had forgotten about me? My brokenheart" the hood man said, amusingly, in teaseful manner as he was never looking at Eter as serious matter. Eter got raged. He gladly took the duel one on one with this dumb hood man.

* * *

"Sorry, this is still ambigue as a thesis. You might try again"

That was it. That was it.

The brunette never understand how it feels when a girl confessed a love to her most precious man and got him denied the love. But now she knew that it couldn't be as hurt as this. She clenched her fist as the Professor returned her long researched and arranged thesis. She spent her time, wasting on everything she got and sacrificed a lot. And the professor was not even considering, she was just saying things...like that.

What could be wrong? She was sure enough that she had completed any hole presumably there at the thesis. Dang.

She walked back home with super sour face and creepy stomp. Every scholar there at Aspio avoided her once they saw her on the way. She was just too scary, and they didn't want to get hurt by a fireball bombard anyway.

"You can do it, I am sure! You just need spirit, yes, good luck" Rita, the genius young mage mimic of what the professor assistant said to her as he returned her thesis back. "YOUR ASS good luck" she cursed as she turned her faked-out cheerful face into a notable werewolf like.

She calmed down a little as she got closer to her home. As she got back, she will prove to the damn professor about her thesis this time. She only need more proper and uncommon thing to be researched. Still no idea at it though, so she decided to take a night walk outside Aspio for a while. Who knows, she might get an inspiration.

"Hm?"

Rita noticed that there was an unfamiliar silhouette when she got outside. Weird, no one usually will come to Aspio especially at this hour. She sharpened her vision, making sure it wasn't ghost or something. The silhouette looked like unbalanced, like a drunken, or maybe zombie, at some level.

"..help..me." the voice heard. A male voice. He walked crumbly to Rita's direction.

Rita quickly noticed the silhouette. Rarely she has met the person, but she was sure that boy was a relative to Estelle—in other words—the young Emperor, Ioder. She got a really big shock, until she almost forgotten her failed thesis.

"Oi, oi! What's with you? What the hell are you doing here? Hey—"

Ioder even haven't replied yet, when he suddenly kneel down, fallen in faint. He sure looked like really exhausted and messed up, even though Rita still didn't get any clue of what actually was going on. She quickly hold him before he bumped to the ground like a zombie. Rita snapped him at face, softly, a couple time, wanted him to at least get up and give explanation. But he was totally blacked out.

"Aaaah shooot!" she grumbled. She has her own problem, now what is it? A random Emperor suddenly fainted in front of her and she has to be a hero in rescue? Crap.

There was no other way, it seems. Whatever case running to be disclosed currently, Rita somehow had feeling that Yuri and the other might be involved too. She cannot leave this klutz boy laying down there, or else he will attract people attention and...probably things will run ugly.

Although heavy, she piggyback him and put up a life to death effort, bringing him to her hut.


	6. Stage 5 : Take Five

**Credits :  
**I do not own the song lyrics used here.

**Stage 5 : Take Five (No Despair, No Hope)**

Sounds from the chirping bird had waken him up. Witcher slowly opened his eyes, and hardly remembered of what he was doing. He gazed to his surrounding. Grand house, big garden, and everything that looked exquisite. He snapped out of his dreaming state and realized of his duty.

"Ah! I must have fallen asleep—" Witcher shouted before he piped himself down with his hands. That's right, he remembered. He was going with Sodia to do some inspection at the noble quarter. She had some suspect to earlier garden party. It really got big probability of being part of the massacre scheme. So there is chance if they investigate the nobles who were attending the party they'll manage to find any clue and evidence to prove that their commandant was truly innocent. They only have few days before the penalty, anyway. However, Sodia said she was hearing things unusual from the castle. She told him to continue inspection while she will check on the castle. However, it seemed that he fell asleep. But Sodia wasn't get back to him either. If she was, she'd be waking up Witcher and continue their job.

"Maybe I should get to her," Witcher thought as he moved. As he walked the path to castle, though, he saw a group of knights, with their commanders. All of them looked very cautious in their stand by, making the little apple headed mage curious.

"I wonder what's up, now" he muttered. Immediately he went to a nearest knight member and asked whether something urgent was occured, that they were put in a high level alert. The knight looked annoyed, mostly to Witcher's oblivious face.

"Where the heck you were even? The situation is really bad now. Once again, the guards and members who were in the castle last night all got murdered. It was a pretty cruel and dreadful scenery"

Witcher shocked, "Eh...?!"

"Not only that..Emperor Ioder was claimed to be missing. The princess was fine, gladly. She was with her bodyguard knight who got some severe injuries. He must have been protecting the Princess. He told us the troops to stand by and be careful since the enemy was strong" the knight's friend added.

"Emperor...missing..?" Witcher was kinda of unbelieving. it was just one night and suddenly, wicked things happened.

"One mistress was found in horrifying wound, I bet she and the Bodyguard fought hard to protect the princess. But geez... they should have announced the search party earlier. Who ever guessed that the escaped prisoner had come back and redo awful things such this. And he even kidnapped the Emperor" the knight continued as he rubbed his helmet.

"A search party had been formed?"

The knight nodded. "Yeah. Prior to find the Emperor and the Criminals. Everyone including the lower quarter was alerted to be careful. You too, better be careful. Well...One female knight had survived from last night accident, though. But she has the most terrible injury"

"Knight," Witcher gasped. "Is she...an orange haired knight?"

"Ah, so you know her. Yeah, she is currently incapacitated and cannot even move nor speak. However, judging from how awful it is, she was merely lucky enough, I say"

Witcher hissed. He was kinda regreting that he had fallen asleep. Damn, he should just followed Sodia when she was gone. He should have just ignored her command. Damn, how could he never got the hunch and initiative?

* * *

Some Knights troops are found to be surrounding the Mayor's house at Halure town at morning. The Mayor stood in front of the troops as they tried to gather information from him. The mayor himself seemed to not really serious when he answered them. The leader of the troops looked like he was trying his best at patience to deal with the mayor.

"Mayor, I expect your teamwork…you know, we were looking for a prisoner that had escaped from the castle…and two intruders with him..Are you sure they didn't pass here?" One of the knights said to him.

The mayor dug his ear with his single little finger.

"Eh, young man don't you underestimate this old man, boy. I am not that senile. There was not a single ugly prisoner had visited this place. I declared it bold. Now we got some business to clear Halure's field for our resort purpose, so you're the one who should understand" The Mayor babbled to them.

The troops made some fuzz as they whispered. They felt like it was useless to keep stand by at that small town which seemed to have everything in normal condition. They also got feeling that the prisoner and intruders weren't so fool to escape to nearest town from Zaphias, it would be so easy to find them. Suddenly the Mayor's wife come and opened their house's door widely

"Honey, don't you think our friends would love to join a little tea party? Come in!" she yelled cheerfully.

The troop's leader smiled stiffly. They don't have time for that.

"Er..no, We are in urgent mission to find the prisoner, so I guess we'll pass. Thanks anyway. And if you managed to catch up with the prisoner, please tell us" he leader said as he shook Mayor's hand.

"Oh I swear I will tell you if an ugly prisoner passing by and we sure will give him to you alive" The Mayor raised his hand as he was swearing. The leader seems satisfied enough. They quickly pulled back their troops and head up to Aspio, the next town they must check.

As the troops had gone far away, the Mayor went in. there was Judith who held wet towel in her hand. The towel was fool of blood. She has used it to wash Karol's body.

"They had gone already? Such a relief" Judith commented as she smiled.

The Mayor laughed as he patted her wife's back. What a genius strategy. By showing their house barely and invite them to have tea party, it made the knights assured that the owner of the house was impossible to hide anything in their house. And the wife knew that they were impossible to accept the invitation either. It was kind of risky but it went smooth.

Yuri and Flynn appeared from Karol's room. They felt so gratitude that the Mayor was nice to hide them in his house.

"Thanks Mayor, I owe you my life" Flynn said his gratitude."You even have to lie to them"

"Huh? Which part did I ldo that?" the Mayor raised his eyebrow. His expressions were just like he was teasing him.

Flynn blinked.

"Well…that you said there was no.."

"There was no ugly prisoner visited this place, he said" The Mayor's wife said it firmly. "Young man, we had a _handsome _prisoner escaped here" The wife winked to him.

Flynn was surprised. He was kind of amused with what she had said.

"Ah-ha-ha…. " Flynn laughed nervously. So that was just words playing. They proved themselves that they were creative. Judith who was overheard the conversation added,

"That was so true. They got a beautiful intruder also" Judith said as she swished her hair and formed a seductive pose. Flynn, the wife and the mayor laughed together after Judith acted like that. It was only Yuri, who sat at the open window, didn't amused by their joke at all. He seems like he's not in the mood today. He got something hard blocking in his mind. Judith noticed his attitude since he heard the reason why suddenly the troops came.

Judith sighed. As a person with natural carefree personality, she never like to see someone turned into that kind of desperation like they don't have tomorrow.

"Yuri, until when you intended to act like that?" Judith asked him boldly. This time Yuri gazed to her with an unpleasant face, then he thrown away his face from her and gazed to the outside scenery instead.

"I need time to think alone" Yuri replied cold.

Judith huffed in hopeless and raised her shoulder. Unlike other whiny girls, she knew the best way to deal someone who was in that state is to leave them alone just fine. They don't know but the Mayor and his wife had been watched them.

"What's the matter with him? He seems kind of so vulnerable, unlike before" The Mayor noticed that there was something wrong with him. Flynn looked at his best friend and inhaled deep. Back then when they're still in their childhood, he often to see him like this, but later after he quit the knight, he never showed his emotion clearly anymore. Seemed like he got concerned a lot ever since that night's accident.

"Don't worry sir, he just need to calm his mind. There were too many things happened and they had been burdened him" Flynn uttered.

"Has it any connection to Karol?"

Flynn nodded slowly. He decided to finally tell the Mayor everything happened yesterday, including him who was being suspected as a murderer although he was not. And about Karol who protected Yuri and ended up with big injury when they were helping him to escape. He did not tell him about the butterfly phantoms, though. The mayor was a bit surprised to hear his story. It was a real hard problem they got there.

"Oh, I am sorry that I can't be any of help to solve your matters" The Mayor said.

Flynn shook his head and smiled to him "No way, sir. You're nice enough to hide me here and help Karol. That was more than enough"

Judith checked Karol's condition. He fell asleep, after he got medicine from a nice merchant from Deidon hold. It was so fortunate that the traveler was available at that urgent situation. However, to maintain his health for real, he needed a doctor. And too bad they can't find any doctor near there. So Judith stood up and stretched her body. She intended to go and find a doctor.

"Mayor, I will go and look for a doctor. Will you replace me to take care of Karol for a while?" she asked. The mayor was so pleased to receive that duty. Of course, since for him, Karol was like his own son. After the mayor agreed and she permitted to Flynn and Yuri who was barely replied her, she went to the hill, where Ba'ul stood by with her unfinished repair ship. Goodness that the knights didn't intend to check on the top of the hill.

Wavy sound heard as she departed. And thus in the house, there lasted a dead silence. Nobody started to talk.

But at least, Flynn broke the silence as he stood and walked to Yuri's place.

"The search party started to move," he said in serious tone "...and they tell that his highness Ioder was being kidnapped. He was gone when the massacre once again occured"

"You don't need to tell me, I heard them all" Yuri cut him off, much in deep tone. He sure to have a kind of stressed expression, though he was trying to play a cool-act, like he was usual. "I was pretty clear enough that there is really something wrong within the castle, but to think that it will reach this level..shit"

"It must be...that Eter's doing, right? Because..I didn't hear a thing about Lady Estellise. It looks like both of them are fine" Flynn clenched his fist "..which assuring me that, he is up to something, make a use of Lady Estellise"

Yuri stayed quiet with arm crossed and head down. His glare though, indicated something different with his emotion. Repede, who was merely always quiet barked to him, as if he wanted to comfort him. Yuri only smiled a little to the blue four legs pal.

"He told you to get a rest, Yuri. You have been two nights long not sleeping" Flynn chuckled.

"I cannot really get a rest after what happened..it seemed like we're currently a wolf's prey and the wolf will bite me as I fell asleep. I need to..first check out the underground shelter" He denied. However, Repede started to pull his top. It was like he forced Yuri. The dog had noticed Yuri's panda eyes and his fatigue. He looked like he can collapse anytime they started to fight.

"We can do that after Judith get back with a doctor. We need to perform a methodical strategy, Yuri. Moving reckless will get us nowhere and send us to doom instead" Flynn insisted on him. Yuri has no choice but move to his small bedroom, leaving Flynn with a snort. Repede followed him in. He watched as Yuri lied down.

Repede felt concerned about their condition actually. That dog was wondering. There was something missing here. Usually when something like this happened, like after Yuri fell from Zaude, a person he knew will bend down and lay her gentle hands to them, curing them with her power.

But no, she was not here. And he can't ask to his master who got his eyes completely closing now. He slept but he doesn't seem to have a peaceful sleep.

* * *

_When I left you I flew, did you fly too?_

_And nakedness befell myway_

_Only seen the light of day_

_I only want what I can't have_

_I only need what I don't want_

* * *

The city was covered by fear. Not that it was actually will affect them, but somehow some low rank Knights love to put it as something.

Since Flynn had successfully escaped and the second massacre happened, the Knights Search Party at the city was in aware position. They keep checking the whole town, in order to find the escaping prisoner. What makes it so great was that the prisoner wasn't a mere prisoner. He was a Knight Commandant, the most trusworthy to the Royal family. And he was suspected to be a murderer who did an awful massacre at the castle.

Everyone in the town was scared of the possibility that they were going to be killed in sadistic way just like what people in the castle had suffered. Except of course, they are in lower quarter that had live with Flynn from his childhood until now.

Hanks heard that story. And thus he was not wondering anymore about the reason why Yuri had not been home since. Ted was the only one who got guilty with the news.

"Uncle Hanks.. Flynn will never do something like that" Ted said "I know that was obvious"

Hanks patted that kid's head. He coughed. "Yes my boy, I know it. There must be something going on behind this. And that's why Yuri had gone to solve this. Just believe in him, he will get this problem straight" Hanks said positively.

However what gotten in his mind is, someone named Eter. He was pretty sure that Eter wasn't a mere stranger to him. He's now afraid of something. Something he had been buried for long time, for his age.

"Ted, I think we may have a journey soon" Hanks said to Ted as he entered the house in.

Ted tilted his head confusedly.

"Where are we going?"

Hanks coughed before he replied.

"Northwest. We will depart this afternoon soon"

* * *

"That's why I told you! There is NO ONE here! Especially not any of ugly prisoner and duckling Emperor! Now, if you dare to make me waste a minute more for you, I'll gladly turn you into barbecue!" the young brunette mage glared at them and roared. The knight search party had arrived at Aspio and they inspected everything and everyone there. Obviously, there is always just one who never have good teamwork with any kind of that. Rita Mordio is a perfect example.

"No, no, no, hold it, miss, please!" the leader backed off and stuttered "We just want to make sure and it's for your safety as well. We just merely being responsible"

"How is it concerning my safety, huh? have your boss ever care to send a guard for me when I accidentally make an explosion and burnt my desk here, huh? Has he?!" with hands both place at her hips, Rita glanced and argued with the knight troops fearless. The leader was patience enough at Halure, and he was already too tired to deal with a locomotive little mage.

"Ooookay miss! Just let us inspect your hut and we won't ever distub your little ass anymore!" he shouted back at her.

Unfortunately, that kind of action was like a berserk button for Rita. Unbelievable enough, she was already patience enough at facing the knights. Now he said something that really activated the silent volcano.

"...my little what? You say?" her voice turned amazingly deeper. She changed her gesture and stood by with open-wide legs as her hands moving into a casting position. An incantation circle was formed between her and glowed. That alone made the leader worn his horrified facial, and his subordinates started to shriek.

"She's serious, sir!"

"We'd better get out of here—seems like the prisoner won't ever come here, knowing that he will get this kind of welcome," a subordinate whispered to the leader sire.

The leader gulped. He was mad at her, however cannot be denied that he was freakingly scared of any blast that he will receive if he insisted to the young mage.

"I..I understand. We will leave, in pronto" he muttered groggily.

"Heh." Rita smirked as the knight stepped back. "THEN DO IT ALREADY!" she released fireballs no matter what. It was already too late for them to do anything to get her beg of mercy. The fireballs exploded in some epic boom sounds as the troops all ran away in panic, trying to avoid the fireballs. They looked really like scaredy cat.

Rita clapped her hands and snorted. She was already in bad mood since the night where she found the Emperor collapsed in front of her. But thanks to the troops, she can eventually pictured of what was case was occuring. She might have to get involved whether she wants it or not.

"Thank you..you protected me," the culprit showed himself up. It was the young Emperor Ioder. He had rested and much courtesy of Rita, he had regained his health back. He dug out his way from a pile of books—that was where he hid when the troops came.

Rita felt awkward at first when he said his grattitude, then she snorted. "No need to. I was protecting my research. I cannot allow any jerkass having their feet inside of my house" she said in haughty tone. Ioder tilted his head and smiled upon her reaction.

"Anyway. I don't care if you're Emperor or anything, I have the right to give my demand here" Rita turned to the Emperor and rudely pointed her finger at his face. Her face looked so firm. Ioder can only blink at her.

"Sure, what it is?" he replied finally.

"Tell me what's actually going on. Don't play dumb on me, or you know the risk" Rita said as she smacked her desk, making a really pressuring attempt to the poor Emperor. Ioder stepped back a little, afraid that she will give him the same service as the troops. The Emperor inhaled to settle down his nervous, then he started to reveal anything to Rita, starting from the new bodyguard Eter, a massacre that happened and Flynn as the suspected, how they escaped with Karol's sacrifice, how he was actually targeted including of how he could ended up wounded near Aspio.

Rita turned from his unpleasant face and dreadful attitude to somewhat unbelieving and insecure gesture. As much as Yuri, she had expected that wicked things were occuring but she never imagined it would be that ugly. Moreover, she worried about Estelle, and Yuri with his companions.

"...Then...do you know where they are now?" Rita asked him, but it was like she was forcing him to tell him. Her look in her eyes sure telling that way.

"..I don't know..I am sorry. There is nothing I could do." Ioder said with a sad tone. The Emperor looked really desperate.

There was dead silence between the two of them. Rita was still in shocked state and there were too many things for her to be concerned now to even show any of her anger attitude. The mage just looked down without words. Ioder gazed her with symphatetic face, though, he was the actual one with burden, since he was the Emperor, and now the empire was taken over by one rotten hearted knight.

"Miss Rita...I have one wish for you" slowly, the Emperor muttered. His words has made Rita went into another awkward, surprised mode.

"What?" she lifted her eyebrow and formed a skeptical face.

Ioder clenched his hand to his chest. He inhaled as if he was trying to collect some valor. Then he glanced bold to the brunette mage with determination look of eyes.

"I want to get strong. Please teach me some fighting skills" he said, rather trembled. Rita almost fell her head to her desk when she heard that. She was being a justice hero, saving him from the cold of night and camouflage him in the home. And then, suddenly she got an innocent timid young pupil and has responsibility as his mistress. Of course, like she will believe those words at the first time they were told.

"Na—hey, hey. What nonsense are you talking about? You're an Emperor, they must have teach you some self-defense right?" she said, denying.

Ioder shook his head. "Indeed. But that was a mere simulation fight. Now that I was being put into a real one..I was hopeless. Without Flynn and everyone, I couldn't do anything" he turned down his head and talk with a regreting tone.

Rita scratched her head. Usually she'd like to mock the person who beg to her with some cheesy phrase like that, but seeing Ioder's face, who was ultimately serious and determined, she was being put in mute. Succumbed. She couldn't say anything.

However she also considered that maybe it was her chance to be a part of the case. Probably Yuri and the other has involved theirselves further in this case and she might not have enough link to suddenly throw herself in and help. To team up with the timid Emperor could be a good access for her later, to get the right to know when her curiousity of the case increased.

"Can't be help. I'll be your private trainer" Rita flipped her hand and huffed. she talked in haughty mode. "After all, if you have become more capable, I can pick you as an accompany to look for Yuri and other and solve the ugly case. Well, although Yuri was pretty solutive, but he sometimes can be dumb" she babbled. It was pretty clear that she was trying to hide her true intention to help Yuri and Estelle—although not direct since she worried about them. She was truly dishonest.

"Really? Thank you!" Ioder looked somehow a tad happier. He bowed down to Rita, putting her more into nervous. Heck, this is such a good deal. An Emperor had just bowed to an Aspion mage. If she could publish this, she would be able to mute any annoying empire jerks out there.

* * *

Deeper in the quoi woods, a middle aged man was laying down within the bushes. He was surrounded by little birds. He looked pretty much wounded, however it didn't seem like he was dying. In fact, he gazed to the sky with a relaxing mood.

"Aah damn I was beaten. Though I was pretty cool out there" he scratched his hair and grumbled. He then patted his own chest, as he wanted to feel his heart beat. But there was none of something like that.

A blue butterfly suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It flew down and its appearance made the little birds surrounding him slowly flew away from him. It perched at his chest and dissapeared with a bright glow. Few moments later, the man sensed another presence.

"Oh, little kiddo. I really appreciate it" the man spoken into it without a fear. It was not enemy.

"Heart Blastia won't do as far great as your kind of power, buddy" the man grinned. There was a silhoutte figure appeared before him. At first it was blurry, but then it slowly managed to get its clear look. An entirely black dressed child with rather long black hair appeared before him, staring to him with his red eyes. Butterflies in many colors flew around him. The child gave a soothing smile to him.


End file.
